After a series of impressive tests as a rookie, 2019 World Supersport runner-up Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) broke into the top ten at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve and looked to make a breakthrough in the set-up of his R1 Yamaha. The Italian rider enters his first WorldSBK season after four seasons in World Supersport and is looking in good form as he sets about adapting to World Superbike machinery.

Caricasulo spent most of the testing focussing on how he needs to adapt to the World Superbike motorcycle, not how he needs it to adapt to him. During the test, ‘Carica’ also cited that corner exit needed to improve, but that also relied on him adapting to the bike. The bike itself is the 2019 machine and not the 2020 bike that Pata Yamaha or Ten Kate Racing Yamaha are equipped with.

Evaluating his progress during after the conclusion of Portimao testing, Caricasulo said: “I am very happy with today. We did two great days here in Portimao and although we started very slowly, I didn’t want to crash another time. I improved lap by lap and in the end, it was not so bad; I tried my first Q tyre and it is not easy, but we are closer to the top.”

Caricasulo took six victories in his World Supersport career, the last one coming at Portimao in a red-flagged race last season. This year, with the GRT Yamaha squad, he will be the leading light for Italy in WorldSBK, following the retirement of Marco Melandri at the end of the 2019 campaign.

Looking forward to Australian testing and the round at the end of February, Caricasulo continued, saying: “I am really happy, we finished in the top ten today and I am about my job, the job of my team and in all, it was a very good test before Australia. I learnt a lot about how to use this bike, especially on the exit of the corner. Maybe I have to improve again but I think I understand it much better.”

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