Baz targeting strong end to breakthrough season

Loris Baz is setting his sights on a strong end to the 2012 World Superbike Championship season as he looks to improve his chances of retaining his ride with Kawasaki for next year.

The Frenchman began the 2012 season competing in the FIM Superstock 1000 Championship, but was promoted to the factory Kawasaki team in World Superbikes from round five as a full-time replacement for the injured Joan Lascorz.

Since then, the youngest rider on the WSBK grid has proven to be a revelation, scoring his first podium at Brno before claiming a shock win in treacherous conditions at Silverstone.

With Kawasaki confirming Tom Sykes will remain with the team for 2013, Baz heads into the final three rounds at the Nurburgring, Portimao and Magny-Cours with a view to convincing the manufacturer to retain the same line-up for next year.

"We have the three last races at tracks I really like so I am looking for a good weekend in Germany," he said. "We will try the same as every other time, to find a good pace at the beginning of the weekend. We want to get off to a better start than we had in Moscow for sure because we had some bad luck at the beginning.

"I have raced 600 and 1000 Superstock bikes at the N?rburgring before so I know the track and it is very interesting. There are some fast sections and I like that, some nice corners. We will see what kind of weather we have but I do not care so much which way it is. The bike is getting better every time and all the team are doing a really good job."