SMW Racing aims high in WorldSSP 300 with iglesias and Millan
WSSP300 | Team Launch | Friday 25 March 2022
Italian-Polish team lines up a pair of Spanish riders for a breakthrough year in WorldSBK’s up-and-coming talent class
The SMW team will enter the 2022 season with big ambitions. The team, based in Poland but with an Italian heart, has confirmed the collaboration with Inigo Iglesias, a Spanish rider who already raced last season with the Kawasaki 400 of the SMW team; his teammate will be another Spaniard, Alex Millan. Together the two riders are ready to play a leading role in the WorldSSP 300, the category where the most promising youngsters compete looking at WorldSBK and WorldSSP category.
Iglesias finished seventh in the 2021 championship with three podiums (two second places and a third) and a pole position, Millan has made a few appearances and is preparing for his first full year in the world championship.
For the SMW team it has been an intense week of testing ahead of the season opener at Aragon, Spain, on 9-10 April. In Aragon, wherer the last official test session will take place 4-a April, the team carried out an intense two-day test session.
In mixed conditions and intermittent rain the times of the two riders were good: Alex Millan stopped the clock at 2:09.393, Iglesias was only a tenth slower on the best lap: 2:09.450. The team then moved on to Portugal, to the Estoril track, a stone’s throw from Lisbon, where – despite the cold and rain – the references were much more indicative. On the track therer was part of the 2022 WorldSSP 300 grid. Millan was the third-fastest rider with 1:53.254, Iglesias finished in P5 with 1:53.603. The SMW team riders were also fast in the full wet. Millan lapped in 2:11.443, Iglesias in 2:14.722 with the third and tenth-fastest times respectively.
Inigo Iglesias, #48
«This is my second year with the SMW team and being able to work with a team I already know is definitely an advantage. We want to aim high, because last year we had some good races and podiums at the end of the season, so I expect to be consistently up front fighting for race wins».
Alex Millan, #14
«I chose the SMW team because it is a team with a great working culture where you can do well. These first two tests went well, at Aragon and Estoril we couldn’t ride in dry conditions, but all the work done will be useful during the season».
Otello Celia, Chief Marketing
«This week has been very busy for our team, we did four days of testing on two circuits because the goal is to be ready for the start of the season. The WorldSSP300 is a balanced and unpredictable championship where even a small advantage makes the difference. We have two talented and motivated riders and a bike that, thanks to the support of Kawasaki, is very competitive».
