Motocorsa Racing have been one of the shining lights in the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with their sole rider, Axel Bassani, currently sitting fifth in the Riders’ Championship standings. After the team’s home round at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, Team Manager Lorenzo Mauri spoke about the squad’s season so far and how he would like the team to expand to two bikes in 2024.
ONE PODIUM, CONSISTENT RESULTS: emotional Misano, Independent title hopes
Bassani joined the team for the 2021 campaign and scored his maiden podium in the same season, in a rain-affected race in Barcelona, before adding three more to his tally in 2022. This season, Bassani has been consistent with his results with only one finish outside the top ten while he also took his first podium of the season at Misano in Race 2; his first and the team’s first in Italy. He has 126 points to his name, putting him only three behind Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) while he is also 27 ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).
Reflecting on 2023 so far and the Misano podium, Mauri said: “We are enthusiastic and very happy with the work done by the team and Axel. This winter, we spent a lot of time on the development of the bike to further improve the rider’s performance. We really believe in Axel: he joined our family when he was a kid. We’ve seen him grow in terms of performance and riding style. The podium was wonderful, for us it was an indescribable emotion, as was having so many people outside the garage shouting not only ‘Axel Bassani’ but also ‘Motocorsa’, giving us a great boost given they feel part of the team. I’ve rarely seen things like this in 25 years in the paddock. I don’t deny that everyone in the team was moved. We have an excellent relationship with Ducati, with whom we exchange information on different aspects every day. We want to fight for the Independent Riders’ title. We will do everything to succeed, the Championship is long.”
POTENTIAL GROWTH: could there be two Motocorsa Ducatis on the grid in 2024?
Motocorsa Racing have been a one-bike outfit since joining WorldSBK in 2020 but Mauri spoke about potentially moving to two bikes for the 2024 season, although nothing has been officially confirmed. The one-time STK1000 podium finisher also explained the profile of the rider he would like to join the team if they are able to expand to two Panigale V4 R machines next year, revealing he would like them to “make sacrifices” like Bassani.
Expanding on this, Mauri said: “I’m receiving so many requests to race with us, even from riders who, years ago, didn’t even answer my calls. Everything about this makes me really happy since I remember very well all the sacrifices we have made over the years. This is the demonstration that the commitment and the resources we have invested are paying off. In 2024, we would like to field two bikes. We are evaluating this opportunity. Ducati will remain this way, there will be no new homologations but only small updates. If we decide to take to the track with two bikes, we will do it to be competitive. Our next step will be to have two riders. For Motocorsa, it would be a big leap. My ideal rider would have to impress me, they have to be coherent and serious. They have to be willing to make sacrifices like Axel did.”
WHERE IT ALL STARTED: Mauri’s racing career and being Team Manager
Mauri is no stranger to motorcycle racing given his experience both on and off track with a podium finish in STK1000 as well as seven WorldSBK across three partial campaigns. The team were founded in 2013 competing in Italy before wildcard appearances in the World Superbike Championship in 2019 as they made their debut on the world stage. In 2020, the team competed in the European rounds of the WorldSBK campaign, skipping only Australia, before taking part full-time in 2021.
Explaining the career path for both him and the team, Mauri said: “My career began when I was 18 as a private rider and then moved onto sports production bikes in the CIV and the Endurance World Championship. Then, I competed as a wildcard in WorldSBK at the time of Carl Fogarty and Troy Bayliss. I won a few races in Superstock and also got on the podium in CIV. The team was born in 2013 and has grown step by step. It has been a process of continuous growth. In 2019, we competed in our first races in WorldSBK, fielding Lorenzo Zanetti and Samuele Cavalieri as wildcards. 2020 was our first year as a constant presence, skipping only the Round at Phillip Island. In the following season, we began to enjoy ourselves, bringing home some good results.”
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Source: WorldSBK.com