P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Rea: Bassani has ‘a great opportunity’ at Kawasaki
Bassani and Kawasaki confirmed their deal at the Portimao WorldSBK round, making Bassani a factory rider for the first time in his career. Despite recent below-average performances, Bassani is still on track to finish as the top Independent rider for the second consecutive year. After missing out on the Aruba.it Ducati seat, Bassani’s chances of becoming a factory rider seemed slim until Rea’s unexpected move to Yamaha opened up opportunities. While Bassani has yet to win in WorldSBK, his impressive performances as a satellite rider near the front of the grid have caught attention. Rea, who has competed with him many times, believes Bassani will achieve great things in 2023 and wishes him the best. Bassani will join Alex Lowes at Kawasaki, who will enter his fifth season with the team.
Source: Crash
