Gianluca Sconza is ready to spend one more season in Supersport World Championship. After the experience he had last year with Gemar Lorini Honda, the 17-year-old Italian from Battipaglia will continue racing in WorldSSP, as he will take part in the European rounds of 2020 season with Benro Racing Yamaha Team. The Dutch squad will face their rookie year in the championship with Sconza and Tom Toparis and will compete with both riders in the Europe Supersport Cup.
Palmen in Motorradsport contacted Sconza to ask him some questions about the upcoming season and 2019 campaign. Read his thoughts.
Gianluca, how did you get in touch with Benro Racing?
They were looking for a young rider and I was looking for a strong team lining up Yamaha bikes, so we can say that all the pieces fitted together perfectly. Now, it’s time to work hard to get the best result possible.
You will compete in the Europe Supersport Cup after the seven WorldSSP races you had last year. What are the main things you learnt in 2019?
First of all, I understood how to learn the right lines on a new circuit in just few sessions. Furthermore, I changed my riding style to suit the 600cc machine, because its size and weight make it very different from Moto3 and Supersport 300. But, in any case, the biggest news for me was the level of professionalism, which is much higher than in national series (Sconza came to WorldSSP from Italian CIV Championship, ed).
Which race from 2019 are you more satisfied with?
I really enjoyed racing in Portimão, an interesting track with many “blind spots”. I was very strong in the most technical part of the circuit and I had some nice battles. Unfortunately I was disqualified, because I got a penalty due to jump start and I didn’t serve it. It’s a shame, because I was having lots of fun.
And which circuit did you enjoy the most?
Losail. It’s a very demanding track, for what concerns corner speed, and the high temperatures typical of the desert make it very difficult to stay focused. I found all this very stimulating.
Let’s conclude the interview by going back to the present. What’s your goal for this season?
I want to become European Supersport Champion!
Palmen in Motorradsport is grateful to Gianluca Sconza for his kindness and wishes him all the best for his second year in World Supersport.