The crew chiefs working at Independent WorldSBK outfits in 2022
Making up a vital part of a rider’s team, we take a look at the crew chiefs working at Independent WorldSBK squads in 2022
After detailing the crew chiefs working at factory outfits in the 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, it’s time to look at the people playing this important role in the many Independent teams in WorldSBK. With 14 riders outside the factory squads, that means 14 crew chiefs to help their riders secure the best possible result throughout a race weekend.
At the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, Garrett Gerloff will have Damiano Evangelisti in his corner of the box, a change from the start of the 2021 season. Teammate Kohta Nozane, now in his second WorldSBK campaign, will once again work with Andrea Oleari on his Yamaha YZF-R1 as he looks to become a regular top ten contender throughout 2022.
Also preparing for his second WorldSBK campaign, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) will have a new crew chief by his side for this season as Simone Corsini joins the Independent outfit. Another one-bike Independent squad that will have a lot of changes for 2022 is Team GoEleven after signing rookie Philipp Oettl for this season. The German will work with Francesco Reale in his debut campaign, who worked with Bassani in 2021.
Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) will continue to work with Mick Shanley, who previously worked with Loris Baz, as he heads into his second campaign with the team, hoping for an injury-free season after missing the end of 2021. Barni Spark Racing Team have a new rider in the form of Sammarinese star Luca Bernardi and to helps his transition from WorldSSP to WorldSBK have kept Luca Minelli as crew chief, after he worked with Tito Rabat in 2021.
For his rookie season in WorldSBK, Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) will have David Salom as his crew chief. Salom brings experience as a WorldSBK and WorldSSP rider, while he also ran Ana Carrasco in WorldSSP300 when she made history by winning the title for the DS Junior Team. The family-run Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha squad, with rider Christophe Ponsson, will have a new crew chief for 2022 as Stuart Millen joins the squad for this season.
There will be a few new faces in the MIE Racing Honda Team garage with their expansion to two bikes. Leandro Mercado will once again work with Jan Van Der Tol for his second campaign with the team, while rookie Hafizh Syahrin will have Ben Doe as his crew chief for his rookie WorldSBK campaign. Another expanding team, Bonovo Action BMW will have new riders and crew chiefs in their box. Loris Baz joins the team after a year in the USA and will have Mark Standley as his crew chief this year, while Eugene Laverty will work with Paolo Piazza for 2022.
Loris Cresson returns for a second campaign with TPR Team Pedercini Racing and he will work with Max Nejrotti as his crew chief for 2022; the pair have worked together for three years. Isaac Viñales has a new team for 2022 in the shape of the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team as they graduate to the Championship and for his second WorldSBK campaign he will have Pietro Cassara as his crew chief this season.
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