After making the transition to the official Kawasaki WorldSSP team in the winter, the 24-year-old Okubo scored points in the opening round of the season in Australia. Making a strong showing in Thailand for much of the most recent WorldSSP race, Hikari was unlucky to finally crash late in the second round.
 
Okubo remounted to finish in Thailand, albeit out of the points, and is now determined to get into the top finishing positions at Motorland, in what will be the first European race of the season. Okubo has now started 25 WorldSSP races, with a best individual race finish of sixth place.
 
Morais, who won his first WorldSSP race last season on his way to fourth place overall, takes over Sofuoglu’s machine in Motorland with high expectations. Sheridan is no stranger to either Kawasaki machinery or WorldSSP in general and he has now started 37 races in all, 17 of them for Kawasaki. This will be his first race weekend back in the WorldSSP paddock since 2017.
 
Hikari Okubo, stated: “I think I can do a good job for the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Team this weekend because I understand the machine more after the last round in Thailand. I have found a good feeling. The next race is at Motorland Aragon, and I like it at that circuit, so I will try to finish inside the top five on Sunday.”
 
Sheridan Morais, stated: “The excitement is too much as I have been hoping for an opportunity like this since last year. To have a shot on this bike and with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing is the best shot possible, I believe. I’ll be a little rusty at first since I haven’t ridden for a couple of months but I certainly haven’t forgotten how to ride. I am confident that by race day we will be in with a shout.”
 
Top level privateer Anthony West (EAB antwest Racing Kawasaki) will be looking for his best result of the year after a sixth place in the opening round at his home race. His fellow Australian Lachlan Epis (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) is also back in action this weekend. Epis’ team-mate Michael Canducci should be back in action after missing the previous Thailand round through injury.
 
Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) rides on home ground this weekend. The grid for Motorland Aragon includes the riders in the FIM Europe Supersport Cup for the first time, with Kawasaki represented by Rob Hartog (Team Hartog Against Cancer), Wayne Tessels (Chromeburner Wayne’s Racingteam MTM) and Peter Sebestyen (SSP Hungary Team).