WorldSSP riders Pawi and Toba ready to do battle on Spanish soil
The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda team is ready for the second Supersport World Championship round of the 2024 season, taking place this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain.
Rookie riders Khairul Idham Pawi and Kaito Toba made their Supersport debut just over three weeks ago at the Phillip Island season-opener. The two riders were able to make gradual progress throughout the weekend’s sessions, with Pawi scoring a first championship point in race 1 on Saturday.
Both riders have extensive knowledge of the Catalunya track, having competed there on many occasions during their time in the Moto3 and Moto2 World Championships. Now that Supersport teams only have one free practice session in which to work, this previous track knowledge may be of benefit to Pawi and Toba.
Inaugurated in 1991, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is located just a few miles from the city of Barcelona and has been a regular fixture on F1 and MotoGP calendars for many years. It only appeared on the WorldSBK calendar for the first time in 2020, but riders enjoy its fast and flowing layout. The track currently measures 4657 metres and features eight right-hand corners and six left-handers.
Khairul Idham Pawi
“I really like the Catalunya track layout and will definitely be working to improve on how we did at Phillip Island. The plan is to try and always be consistent and score some more points. I’ve been home since the Australia round, training hard in the gym and also cycling, riding and running. I can say I feel good and comfortable in myself, and am looking forward to getting back to work in Spain.”
Kaito Toba
“I have good memories of the Montmeló circuit from my Moto3 days, even coming close to winning a race, so my experiences in the past have been quite positive. Since the opening SSP round in Australia, I have been training hard in Spain and also completed a two-day test, so I feel ready to race again. As for my objective this coming weekend, I’d like to push for the top ten at Barcelona and get some first points on the board. Let’s see what we can do.”
Track information:
Country: Spain
Name: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Length: 4.657 km
Corners: 6 left-hand, 8 right-hand
SSP RECORDS: Best lap – Aegerter (Yamaha) 1’45.157 (2022). Superpole – Aegerter (Yamaha) 1’43.983 (2022).
2023 SSP RESULTS:
Race 1 – 1. Bulega (Ducati); 2. Schroetter (MV Agusta); 3. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki)
Race 2 – 1. Sofuoglu (MV Agusta); 2. Schroetter (MV Agusta); 3. Manzi (Yamaha)
