Big moves are shaking up Bimota’s 2026 WorldSBK campaign — and they’re bound to spark debate among fans and insiders alike. The Italian brand, backed by Kawasaki, has confirmed a major personnel change that will reshape its technical strategy next season. Axel Bassani will have a new crew chief, and longtime Kawasaki figure Marcel Duinker will transition into an entirely new role — one that signals a shift in how Bimota plans to build its racing future.
For over ten years, Duinker has been at the heart of Kawasaki’s championship efforts, serving as crew chief for the Provec team — the operation behind both the past Kawasaki factory squad and now the Bimota factory entry in WorldSBK. His record speaks for itself: a 2013 world title with Tom Sykes stands as a career highlight. But 2026 will mark a turning point. Instead of calling the shots trackside, Duinker will now focus on engineering and development projects within both the Kawasaki and Bimota technical programs.
Guim Roda, Team Manager of the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team, explained that Duinker — who’s been with Kawasaki since its MotoGP days in the early 2000s — won’t be leaving the family. Instead, he’ll pivot to a broader role that blends technical development with hands-on support for teams racing the KB998 model in national championships, such as the FS-3 team competing in the British Superbike Championship (BSB). “Uri [Oriol] Pallares will become Axel [Bassani]’s new crew chief,” Roda shared with WorldSBK.com. “Marcel will move into more of an engineering and development-focused role to strengthen both Kawasaki and Bimota’s progression.” Roda emphasized Duinker’s extensive background in suspension tuning and technical analysis, adding that his mix of engineering and leadership expertise will be invaluable moving forward.
But here’s where things get interesting — and just a bit controversial. The man stepping into Duinker’s shoes is Uri Pallares, a name that might not yet hold the same star power but carries plenty of garage-side respect. Pallares has long served as a chief mechanic within the Provec organization, working under Pere Riba through the golden era of Jonathan Rea’s championship dominance. More recently, in 2025, he stepped up as Rea’s crew chief during the rider’s move to Yamaha. According to Roda, “Uri has worked very closely with Pere Riba for many years, gaining deep experience in managing teams at a top level. He’s ready for this new challenge with Axel.”
Their partnership began on November 27, when Bassani and Pallares teamed up for the first time at the Jerez test. The start wasn’t perfectly smooth — Bassani was reportedly unwell during the session — but early days in racing partnerships often take time to gel. The coming months will reveal whether this new pairing can find the chemistry needed to push Bimota higher up the standings.
What makes this move so intriguing is the underlying strategy. By shifting Duinker into a development-focused role while bringing in Pallares as an emerging crew chief talent, Bimota and Kawasaki seem to be investing in both immediate performance and long-term technical evolution. Yet some will question: does losing Duinker’s direct race-day influence risk slowing Bassani’s adaptation? Or could his new behind-the-scenes position actually strengthen the team’s engineering base in the long run?
Either way, the 2026 season promises to be a pivotal one — not just for Bassani and Bimota, but for Kawasaki’s entire WorldSBK vision. Do you believe this shuffle will lead to innovation and growth, or might it disrupt the flow that’s made Kawasaki a consistent force for years? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments — is this the right move, or a risky experiment in team evolution?
