As good as a “home race” for 26-year-old Italian Locatelli, the #55 rider is looking to put his Yamaha R1 WorldSBK in the front group right from the start to continue his excellent run of form this season which has seen him finish on the podium at least once at every round so far – results which are a step above his trio of sixth-place finishes achieved at Misano in 2022.
Teammate Razgatlıoğlu is no stranger to the podium in Italy, with two wins and six podiums to his name from Misano. His aim is clear, to return to winning ways once again and take points away from his championship rival Alvaro Bautista (Ducati).
There is one more person in the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK pit box who has tasted victory in the WorldSBK class at Misano, #55 Crew Chief and two-time FIM Supersport World Champion Andrew Pitt. The Aussie ace says Misano is a special circuit with a very particular asphalt surface that provides a huge amount of grip both dry and wet conditions. A technical set-up that enables the bike to change direction well, but is also stable under heavy braking, needs to be paired with giving the rider confidence to attack Curvone in fifth gear – the fastest corner of any circuit on the series calendar.
On a serious note, Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK would like to extend the team’s support to the flood-hit Emilia-Romagna region.
