It is always a great pleasure to work with world’s sports superstars like Kenan Sofuoglu, especially when it happens again after many years since we first met. I did my first photoshoot with Kenan back in 2008 in Portimao, Portugal at the Super Bike World Championship.
This photoshooting was not planned because we met during the Red Bull Air Race at Lausitzring in Germany. We used our free time to catch up because many years have passed after our last meeting, as well as to create a series of photographs my way and my style. It’s a great pleasure to work with someone like Kenan in every sense!
Kenan… I wish you all the best in this season and I hope to see you soon again.
WHO IS KENAN SOFUOGLU?
Arguably the most famous motorsports star to hail from Turkey, Kenan Sofuoğlu has an enviable list of titles under his belt, and he continues to carve out his place among the greats.
But success started much earlier for the rider, with national and international wins at junior level. He also tried his hand in both the Superstock and Superbike categories. Sofuoğlu triumphantly secured his place in the history books when he won both the 2007 and 2010 Supersport Championship with Ten Kate Honda.
For 2011, Sofuoğlu raced on the Suter, competing with the Technomag-CIP team in Moto2 (formerly 250cc) alongside Swiss rider Dominique Aegerter. Switching back to his Supersport roots and this time racing for Kawasaki in 2012, Sofuoğlu claimed an impressive third Supersport World Championship title, nailing the win in the penultimate round of the season in Portugal. Sofuoğlu returned in 2013, this time taking second place.
After a difficult 2014, in which his team withdrew from the series, Sofuoğlu returned in 2015 with a new team – the San Carlo Puccetti Racing Team. Sofuoğlu confidently reclaimed the title, becoming the FIM Supersport World Champion for the fourth time.
In 2016, still on the Kawasaki with San Carlo Puccetti Racing, Sofuoğlu took an incredible fifth championship, making his position as the winner of the most Supersport World Championship titles look untouchable.
WORLD RECORD 400KM/H!
Besides all World titles he is holding one very unique record made in July of this year. He pushed his Kawasaki Ninja H2R to touch 400km/h. The record was broken on the Osmani Gazi Bridge on the Marmara Sea in the bay of Izmit in Turkey! He reached a speed of 400km/h in just 26 seconds (using special slick tires and top secret fuel)!