Racing News

Strong Season Finish for Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team at Jerez

BbKRT

Jerez, Spain (October 19, 2025) – The Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team concluded its debut WorldSBK season with strong results at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, as Alex Lowes secured sixth in both the final race and the overall championship standings, while Axel Bassani confirmed his top-ten position in the Riders’ Championship.

The weekend opened under warm and dry Andalusian skies, with both BbKRT riders showing competitive pace aboard the KB998 Rimini. In Saturday’s Superpole session, Lowes qualified a strong fourth with a 1’37.683 lap—just shy of the front row—while Bassani placed 14th. Following a reshuffled grid, Lowes started Race One from third position and Bassani from 13th.

Lowes made an excellent start, fighting inside the leading group before ultimately finishing sixth after 20 intense laps. Bassani managed persistent rear-grip issues to bring his machine home in 11th, just half a second outside the top ten.

Sunday’s final day of racing saw Lowes line up third for the ten-lap Superpole Race, where he battled among the frontrunners to finish fifth. Bassani ended that sprint in tenth place, narrowly missing the points.

In the season-ending 20-lap Race Two, Lowes once again demonstrated consistency and determination, running inside the top five early before finishing sixth. Bassani rounded out his season with another solid top-ten finish in tenth place.

Lowes’ three Jerez results—sixth, fifth, and sixth—cemented his sixth place overall in the 2025 WorldSBK Championship with 218 points. Bassani’s performance secured him tenth place in the standings with 140 points, marking an impressive debut season for both rider and team on the all-new KB998 Rimini platform.

The Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team now looks ahead to post-season testing at Jerez (October 21–22), beginning preparations for the 2026 campaign, which opens at Phillip Island in late February.

Alex Lowes – #22
“I’m happy with how we finished the season. We had a solid final weekend in tough, hot conditions and I felt I rode really well. It’s been the first year of a completely new project, and the effort, passion, and motivation from everyone in the team have been fantastic. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together against such experienced competitors. The KB998 Rimini has been reliable all year, and that speaks volumes about the job our engineers and mechanics have done. Now we’ll analyse everything, make improvements over the winter, and come back stronger in 2026.”

Axel Bassani – #47
“It was a positive weekend and a good way to finish the year. We were consistent and always fighting inside the top ten. Everything was new for us this season, but the team and bike performed really well, and we proved we could be competitive. Finishing tenth overall is a great result for this project’s first year. The KB998 Rimini has been reliable from start to finish, and that gives us confidence to keep building. Thanks to everyone in the team for their incredible work—now we’ll keep pushing for the future.”