Retired five-time WorldSSP champion Kenan Sofuogl⭕u believes the new MV Agusta F3 800 can be a winning package in 2022 after replacing protégé Bahattin S⭕ofuoglu in Jerez. 

Sofuoglu, who won three of his Supersport titles with Kawasaki and two w꧂ith Honda, stepped-in for the MV Agusta Reparto Corse team after their new signing Bahattin tested positive for COVID-19 shortly before the two-day Jerez test. 

It was Sofuoglu’s first time ever riding an MV Agusta machine, and although ‘it’s a hard bike to ride’ according to the ꧂former 12-year Superspo🎐rt rider, it’s a package he believes can win races. 

In fact, Sofuoglu claimed it’s one of the better packages on the grid, and one that gives Bahattin a great chance of moving to WorldSBK 🍃should he perform well, that’s despite MV Agusta not having a team in the premier class.  

Sofuog♉lu, who spent 1.5 days testing for MV Agusta before switching to Puccetti Kawasaki for Thursday’s afternoon running, told the official World Superbike website: "It was a busy day honestly, but in the end I enjoyed it a lot. I have to say thanks to MV Agusta and also to Puccetti. 

"With the MV we had a big improvement today. Actually we were three seconds faster today and I꧃ did quite competitive times. I’m very happy and the team is very h🀅appy. 

"It’s a hard bike to ride, but if you understand it, then it has the potential to 💝be a winning bike. I’m very happy fo🐟r Bahattin [Sofuoglu]. 

"Bahatt🅷in will be on the bike this season and for him it’s hard to ride, but if he’s doing good then for sure moving to Superbike; it’s one of the best choices we made for Bahattin. I’m very happy for him."

In regards to who was fastest of the six WorldSSP riders in attendance, that went the♛ way of fellow MV Agusta rider Niki Tuuli, who also topped day-one.

While the 2021 season was a solid one for the Finnish ﷺrider - claimed three podiums all of which came during the final eight races - 2022 could see him challenging for wins on a more regular basis given the new 800cc engine ‘fits my riding style’. 

Tuuli added: "I think we had a really good test. MV brought a new engine, the 800 and it had some improvements. Theᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ first day was just ab🎃out learning the new engine and the new riding style. 

"In the end, on the second day we tried to improve some things that we were missing last season. I think we did a really good job. I’m so happy tha𒊎t the new engine fits mไy riding style."