Kawasaki enters EVO class of 2014 World Superbike Championship

The Kawasaki factory racing team has announced that it will compete in the newly-created 2014 FIMWorld Superbike EVO class in 2014. The team will enter the class using their ZX-10R which will be ridden by David Salom. Salom had raced for BQR’s Kawasaki-powered CRT machine in the 2012 MotoGP class.The announcement comes just a month before the start of the new season.

The EVO is a new sub-class of the Superbike category that follows the FIM Superstock class rules for engines and electronics which allows only three engines for each rider per season. The class will also follow the new rules of the 2014 FIM Superbike class of placing a cap on the chassis, suspension and brakes. The first race of the Championship will be held at Philip Island GP Circuit in Australia, on February 23.

The EVO class team will be based in Spain alongside the full Superbike team. Kawasaki says that they have entered the championship this year to get an edge in the development for the 2015bike. “I am very happy with this opportunity because it is a very good project and a very good team. Helping with developing the bike is very important for me and the main part of my job is to prepare for 2015 when everyone will be riding on an EVO bike. Kawasaki is a very good bike to start within the EVO class, as all aspects of it work well. We have not changed many parts so far but we have still posted fast lap times,” said Salom.

The team manager, Kawasaki Racing Team, Guim Roda, said, “It is a project for one year, preparing for the 2015 season in the best way possible. It will be an opportunity to develop the bike to maximise the good level of performance the Ninja ZX-10R already has as part of its overall design. All KRT staff will be involved in this project, so for sure it will be a third KRT bike on the grid, pushing the full SBK class ones.”