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The official race report service of Kawasaki Racing Team.

2 Marec 2023

Öncü Seeking More Early Season Success

Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider Can Öncü enters the second round of the 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship with one podium finish already achieved, at the first round last weekend. He will be going all out to leave the Mandalika International Street circuit with a race win this coming weekend.

Öncü made good use of some off-season refinements to the technical package of the WorldSSP specification Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R to record a third place finish in the second race at Phillip Island. His latest visit to the podium steps took his personal tally of top three results in WorldSSP to 12.

Can was unlucky to fall just before the beginning of a wet Race One at Phillip Island, and was eventually unable to start when an unsighted rider collided with his machine. Öncü made up for this unfortunate outcome with a podium ride in the dry conditions of Race Two just one day later.

The Mandalika weekend will be held between 3-5 March 2023. Free practice begins on Friday, with Superpole qualifying and then Race One taking place on Saturday.

Can Öncü, stated: “I have good memories of Mandalika. Last year, after taking second position in Superpole, I stood on two podiums after the races. This year I hope to be able to do even better as the bike has improved and I'm very motivated. In Australia we were unlucky to no-score in Race One, but with the podium in Race Two we still showed that we can aim for the win.”

After a fully-deserved podium success under wet conditions in Race One at Phillip Island new WorldSSP inductee John McPhee (Vince64 by Puccetti Racing Kawasaki) may be forgiven for hoping for wet conditions once again when he lines up for the two scheduled races at Mandalika. He is currently fifth in the World Championship standings.

Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) cannot compete at the second round of the championship after suffering vertebra and rib fractures at Phillip Island. He will be replaced at this round by Timothy Joseph Cua Alberto, from the Philippines.

                                                 #NinjaSpirit