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BMW

BMW Motorrad Motorsport in Most: Successful WorldSBK Weekend with Notable Moments

Most. The eighth round of the FIM Superbike World Championship 2023 (WorldSBK) in Most (CZE) delivered solid results and some highlights for BMW Motorrad Motorsport, both teams and the four BMW Motorrad factory riders. Scott Redding (GBR / ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished fourth in the first main race to match his best race result of the season. Loris Baz (FRA / Bonovo action BMW Racing Team) reached the top ten in both main races. His team-mate Garrett Gerloff (USA) recorded his best qualifying result of the season so far with sixth place in the Superpole, but endured some bad luck in both main races. Michael van der Mark (NED), returning to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team after missing an extended period due to injury, chalked up some points and got plenty of race kilometres under his belt.

The BMW Motorrad factory riders performed well in the free practice sessions. Redding set the fastest time in FP1 on Friday, while Gerloff was the quickest in FP3 on Saturday morning with Redding right behind him in second place. There was an air of optimism before the Superpole, but multiple falls and yellow flags in qualifying hindered their hunt for fast lap times. Gerloff was the highest-placed BMW rider in eighth. As other riders saw their fastest laps canceled, he moved up to sixth on the grid. Baz started race one from 13th, with Redding and van der Mark starting from 15th and 18th respectively.

Race one on Saturday afternoon turned into a tire gamble. Rain started at the beginning, but it was expected to ease off and the track was predicted to dry quickly. The question on the wet grid was which tires to start the race on. Redding chose wet-weather tires initially but headed for the pits after the warm-up lap to switch to intermediates. This meant he had to start from the pit lane, at the back of the field. However, Redding made an impressive comeback, overtaking many riders and spending time in second place before finishing fourth after 22 laps. Baz and his team opted for intermediates, and he finished in tenth place. Van der Mark started on wet-weather tires and pitted after a few laps to switch to slicks. He scored points in his first race after a long break due to injury, finishing 13th. Unfortunately, Gerloff had a stroke of bad luck. While running in seventh place, he slipped on a wet patch and crashed.

Rain returned on Saturday night and Sunday morning, but the track dried out just in time for the Superpole Race before noon. Gerloff finished the race in ninth, while Baz, Redding, and van der Mark finished 12th, 13th, and 14th respectively.

Rain clouds reappeared before the start of the second main race on Sunday afternoon, but the weather remained dry for the race. Redding started from 15th and once again showcased his impressive skills as he climbed up to eighth. Baz also made progress, reaching the top eight at one point and finishing in 10th place after 22 laps. Van der Mark secured another point by finishing 15th. Unfortunately, Gerloff experienced more misfortune. He had a great start from ninth on the grid but crashed on the first lap. He was able to rejoin the race after a brief stop in the pits for repairs and finished 20th.

The WorldSBK is now taking a summer break. The ninth round of the 2023 season will be held on September 8th to 10th in Magny-Cours, France.

Reactions to the Most round.

 

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “It was a very mixed weekend, both in terms of results and weather. And these were partly related. For Michael, his comeback weekend unfortunately started negatively. In FP2, there was a mechanical issue that caused a crash. Fortunately, he was okay and from Saturday onwards things went smoothly in technical terms, and it was good that he could do several laps to assess where he stands and what he needs to work on. He finished all the races and scored points. We are very satisfied with that. For Scott, we were very strong in the free practices, however qualifying was difficult. The session is short and tight, and with the rule that lap times get cancelled with yellow flags, even with a strong pace, it’s possible to come up short. And that was the case with Scott. However, he made a good decision in the first race and came in again before the start to switch to intermediates. He secured an extremely strong fourth place. In the second main race, he climbed from P15 to eighth. He had a solid pace again, but starting from the back is still challenging. Garrett showed strong lap times in the free practices and had a very good qualifying with P6. Unfortunately, he couldn’t capitalise on the Superpole position in the first race due to a crash in the wet conditions. In the Superpole race, he stayed within the crucial top nine. He also had a great start in race two, but unfortunately, he went into neutral and crashed. Although he continued with very strong lap times, he was outside the points. Loris had a consistently solid weekend, and we can be satisfied with his two top-10 results. Now we head into the summer break, and in early September, we hope for a strong start to the final stretch of the season in Magny-Cours.”

 

Scott Redding, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team (SP: 15 / R01: 4 / SP Race: 13 / R02: 8): “Overall the weekend was pretty good. We were first on Friday in mixed conditions and second in FP3. We were a bit more up there, which was nice. Obviously, we had to take a gamble in different conditions, but it paid off. I was a bit upset with the result in this morning’s Superpole race. We had an issue, something was not quite right, and it made it difficult to stop the bike. It was hard because I wanted to try and finish in the top nine, to have a better start position for race two, and knew I had a better pace than that but I just couldn’t do it, so it was frustrating. In race two, I wanted to try and bounce back and show my potential again as a rider, so to come from 15th and have a good pace in the second half of the race was good. It took me a while to get through a few guys and to get a clear track, but I felt I was riding well and the pace was good. I think we were 13 seconds off the leader, of which I probably lost three, four, five in the beginning. It wasn’t ideal, but I felt strong, and the main thing is I enjoyed riding the bike today.”

 

Loris Baz, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team (SP: 13 / R01: 10 / SP Race: 12 / R02: 10): “It wasn’t a bad weekend. We have now had two good weekends in a row, and I don’t know when this was last the case. I am happy as I didn’t crash, and nobody took me out, so hopefully, we have left the bad luck behind us. I am even more proud and happy with the job we did here because in Imola, I felt really good from the beginning. Here, I didn’t feel comfortable on Friday or yesterday, and I was struggling a lot in some parts of the track. But we managed to improve the bike, and that on a track where we struggled last year. So yes, it was good. My Superpole race was okay. I was struggling a lot to overtake Dominique Aegerter, but we were not in the top nine, and that is what matters in the sprint race. Race two was good. I had a really strong start, and then I was trying to go at my pace, to not make any mistakes, and be there at the end. I struggled a bit with arm pump, and I was still in pain from my left shoulder since the crash in Imola. But I am happy. In the top ten again. I was just a bit disappointed to lose the top nine on the last lap.”

 

Michael van der Mark, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team (SP: 18 / R01: 13 / SP Race: 14 / R02: 15): “This Sunday was OK for me. My priority was to do as many laps as possible. Of course, you also want to go as fast as possible too. In this morning’s Superpole race, I was happy. I had quite a good rhythm, but it was not more than ten laps. Then in race two, I had a good start but was a bit too cautious into turn one, and then I was behind a big group. I stayed with them for a while, but I was pushing too much to stay with them, so I backed off because I knew I had to do as many laps as possible. It was a lonely race, but we had to finish, we had to do the laps. So I am happy with the result. Overall, it’s nice to be back.”

 

Garrett Gerloff, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team (SP: 6 / R01: DNF / SP Race: 9 / R02: 20): “I was happy to stay in the top nine in the Superpole race. I had a really good start in race two, but unfortunately, the bike went into neutral going into turn one, and I ended up crashing. That was the end of the weekend, and I am just sad about it. I know our potential is really good, so it makes it even more frustrating, but after the summer break, we will come back stronger in France.”

BMW

WorldSBK at Most: Michael van der Mark back in the saddle of the BMW M 1000 RR.

Munich. The last race weekend of the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) before the summer break is scheduled for the upcoming weekend for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. The eighth round of the season will take place from 28th to 30th July at Most, Czech Republic. Michael van der Mark (NED) will be back in the saddle of his BMW M 1000 RR after his injury hiatus.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport arrives with fond memories of the racetrack in the north of the Czech Republic. Last year, Scott Redding (GBR) secured the third-place podium finish in the first main race. The BMW M 1000 RR’s potential on the track was also evident in the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) as Most was the venue for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team’s first victory in 2021.

Therefore, the goal of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, as well as the four BMW Motorrad factory riders Redding, van der Mark, Garrett Gerloff (USA), and Loris Baz (FRA), is to bid farewell to the summer break with strong results at Most.

Quotes ahead of the Most round.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “First of all, welcome back, Mickey! It’s great to have Mickey back on board after his long injury break. However, we don’t want to have too high expectations for him. The important thing is for him to get back into his racing rhythm on the BMW M 1000 RR before he launches a full attack after the summer break. Most is a track that has suited us well in the past. Combining this fact with the positive impressions we have gathered in the recent races, defines our goal for the weekend. Before the summer break, we aim to achieve strong results with our entire squad. The foundation for this needs to be laid in the qualifying, just like Scott and Loris did at Imola, and as Garrett would have done if he hadn’t had bad luck with yellow flags during Superpole. We approach the upcoming weekend with confidence!”

Michael van der Mark, BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I am really happy to be back again. It has been a long time and I am looking forward to this race. It won’t be easy as I missed a lot of races so for sure the speed won’t be there from the start, but I’m looking forward to being back on the bike and to be back working with the boys, and to at least have a race under my belt before the summer break. Now, I am feeling 100 per cent fit again so I can’t wait to be back out and to enjoy this weekend before the break.”

Garrett Gerloff, BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “I’m really looking forward to go to Most again. It’s a track that I definitely enjoy and another circuit where BMW did well last year so I would love to go there and have a great weekend. It’s a fun layout. We’ll have different challenges this weekend though, with for example the tyre choices that we have. But I’m definitely looking forward to it. That should be fun!”

Scott Redding, BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “For me, Most is a good track. I like going there. Last year, we had a good result there with BMW. I look forward to going there. It’s a different kind of circuit to what we are used to. And hopefully we can try to get ourselves back inside the top five, top six. That would be the goal and keep working on the project and get as close as we can.”

Loris Baz, BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “I’m excited to go to Most. It is the first time this year that I am heading into a race weekend coming from a good race. I really hope that we left all the bad luck behind us now. Imola was great. The guys did a good job to find a better base set-up that suits me. It’s not easy to find that when you don’t ride a lot and don’t test, but with the injury it was tough. I’m really looking forward to Most. Last year the BMW was really fast there. I wasn’t, but Scott was, so I think we have potential there. I’m really looking forward to seeing if the base we found at Imola will be good here as well. The target is to work a lot from FP1 and we showed at Imola that this is what you need to do. I’m excited for the last WorldSBK round before the break, which we start with IDM at Spielberg. That will be cool, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Track Facts Most.

Circuit length

4.212 km – clockwise

Corners

21 – 14 right-handers, 7 left-handers

Pole position

Left

Longest straight

720 metres (start-finish straight)

Grip level

Comparatively high

Track layout

Very few straights, apart from start/finish; mainly slow corners, chicanes, zones with different types of tarmac

Strain on brakes

Medium

Amount at full throttle

19 % resp. 19 seconds

Top speed / lowest speed

295 km/h / 60 km/h

Best overtaking opportunity

T1

Key factors

Dynamic changes in direction, lots of confidence in the front wheel
BMW

BMW Motorrad Motorsport continues to progress in WorldSBK at Imola

The heat was on at Imola during round seven of the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK). Despite the extremely challenging conditions, the BMW Motorrad Motorsport teams and riders built on their positive trend from Donington Park. Loris Baz from the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team achieved his best results of the season so far, while Scott Redding from the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team secured fifth place in Superpole. Garrett Gerloff impressed in practice and warm-up sessions but encountered bad luck in the races. Meanwhile, Leon Haslam finished in the points in race one.

On Saturday morning’s Superpole qualifying, Redding and Baz secured fifth and ninth places respectively, setting up a promising weekend. Haslam placed 14th, while Gerloff, despite being among the fastest riders in practice, had to settle for 15th due to yellow flags. In race one on Saturday afternoon, Baz finished eighth, his best result of the season at that point. However, Redding faced handling issues in the extreme temperatures, dropping back to tenth place. Gerloff finished 13th, and Haslam battled for 11th but was ultimately forced off the track and finished 14th.

With even higher temperatures on Sunday, Redding finished ninth in the Superpole Race, closely followed by Baz in tenth place. Haslam placed 15th, while Gerloff retired due to a mechanical issue. In the second main race, which was shortened due to the scorching conditions, Redding gained three positions at the start and finished seventh, with Baz close behind in eighth. Gerloff finished 13th again, while Haslam retired.

Looking back at the Imola round, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance. Despite the challenging conditions and the fact that two of the riders had never raced at Imola before, the team achieved two top-ten finishes in every race. Bongers praised Baz’s strong performance, especially his three top-ten results, making him the top BMW rider twice. He also acknowledged Gerloff’s strong performances in practice sessions, despite his misfortune in qualifying. Bongers concluded by looking ahead to the next race at Most, a track where the team was successful last year, and anticipating Michael van der Mark’s comeback.

Loris Baz from the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team expressed his happiness with the good weekend and the support from his team. He acknowledged the difficulties they faced earlier in the season but was delighted with his strong performance, including a seventh-place finish in race two. Scott Redding from the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team noted that while the weekend had its challenges, the team managed to gather usable data and make progress despite the extreme heat. Garrett Gerloff, also from the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, described the weekend as difficult and expressed determination to do better in the next race. Leon Haslam from the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team considered it a good but challenging weekend and expressed satisfaction with his progress and the battles he had with other riders.

The next round of the 2023 WorldSBK season will take place at Most, in the Czech Republic, from July 28th to 30th.

NewsNew

DEATH OF THE 500 2-STROKE: CLASSIC DECOSTER

Mike LaRocco earned the 1993 500 National Championship, but never got to defend it. The AMA no longer recognized the class from 1994 forward. How could the 500s go from being the most prestigious class in motocross to being dropped? In the December, 1993 issue of Dirt Bike, Roger DeCoster told us how it went down.





Congratulations and condolences to Mike LaRocco. Last month he wrapped up his first 500 National Championship. Unfortunately, it will also be his last. In fact, it will be America’s last. Mike will never even get to ride with his #1 plate, because next year there will be no 500 class in America.

Even in Europe, the 500 class is taking a back seat, with the FIM directing TV coverage to the 250s and the manufacturers directing their teams likewise. What happened? How is it possible that the 500 National Championship, once the most prestigious class in motocross, has come to an end? It’s a complicated issue, but in truth, the 500 class hasn’t suddenly dropped dead just now. This is only the burial. The class actually died, or at least began to die, back in the early ’80s. That was when various forces first started to combine to eventually result in this situation. The first factor was the rise of Supercross as a 250/125-only sport. Open-class bikes simply weren’t suited for tight stadium tracks, so they were excluded and relegated to outdoor-only tracks. It didn’t take long for manufacturers to realize that Supercross was where the bulk of MX spectators were. Soon, most of each company’s development effort was concentrated on the 250 class. Marketing executives wanted their teams to win in front of the big Supercross crowds, so the factories went all-out and made major changes to the 250s more often than the other models.



Mike LaRocco rides with his number one plate on his KX500 for a Dirt Dike Photo shoot. He never got to race with it, at least not in the U.S.

The next blow to the 500 class came in the form of a worldwide sales slump in the mid-’80s. Motocross bikes were less affected by the slump than street models, but nonetheless the factories suddenly had fewer resources to draw upon for racing. Suzuki and Yamaha made the first big cutbacks, deciding to stop competing in the 500 class in both Europe and the U.S. Their Open bikes had sold poorly–Suzuki stopped manufacturing its RM500 altogether. In the U.S., that left Honda and Kawasaki as the only two manufacturers to support the 500 class.

Another factor was the changing nature of track design. Outdoor tracks became more and more like supercross. It was only natural–spectators got used to seeing riders get big air in stadiums and began to expect it outdoors, too. Also, young riders wanted more jumps. They had grown up learning to double jump before they even knew how to ride down a rough straight. Those kinds of tracks are more suited to 250s.



Jeff Ward’s 1990 KX500 was almost the same bike as LaRocco’s in 1993.

So, now we get to the point where there are not enough teams in the 500 class, not enough riders and not enough bikes. It was time for the burial. At this point, it seems silly to point out what could have been done to save the class. Some action would have been better than no action, though. While I don’t have all the answers, I think the class could have been saved if early action had been taken, both in Europe and in the U.S. In Europe, the FIM is notorious for ignoring problems or denying that they exist. It would have been possible to design tracks with Open bikes in mind, for example. It’s kind of boring to watch a 500 on a really tight track, but the sounds and the power that a big 500 makes when it has a little open space are exciting in a very different way. I think spectators would respond to that and be eager to see 500s in the right environment. That, in turn, might have brought more sales to the 500 class.



Roger DeCoster performed his own 500 shootout in the pages of Dirt Bike in 1995. Click on the image above to see which was his favorite.

Another possibility might have been to enforce the production rule in just two classes while the 500 class was left open to works bikes. In Europe and in the U.S., each class could have its attraction: The 500 class would be for works bikes, and maybe even four-strokes in the future, the 250 class for production-based 250s, and the 125 class for younger riders. Now the 125 class has the most rigorous travel schedule in both Europe and the U.S. In America, the 125 outdoor schedule is as long as the 250 and 500 circuits put together, and in Europe the 125s are required to travel to South America twice in the series. With less travel and perhaps an age limit (or a champion-moves-up rule like the U.S. had), the 125 class would be cheaper for manufacturers as well as privateers, allowing budgets to be stretched to cover all three classes.

At any rate, the time for thinking about what could have been done is past. It’s more beneficial to think about the future and what will fill the place of the 500 National series here in the U.S. I think the AMA’s plan is a good one. The 500 class will be replaced by a new six- to eight-race series called the “Fall Classic” (interesting how it could become a classic before the first race is run). By the time you read this, the new series will already be underway. The attraction of the new series will be the fact that it will be open to any bike over 250cc. No weight limit, no production rule, two-stroke or four-stroke, as big as you like. In a way, it’s an attempt to revive the old Trans AMA series.

The rules, or the lack of rules, might stir up some interest in big bikes. Someone like Eyvind Boyesen might send a rider to test some new ideas in an actual race. I don’t think there will be many works bikes from Europe showing up, though–basically, there aren’t any, aside from Jacky Martens’ Husqvarna four-stroke. Still, the possibility is there.

Whether or not he rides, I think that Martens will have an effect on this new series in the U.S. He just won the 500 GP title in Europe on his thumper, becoming the first rider to do so since Jeff Smith did it in ’65 with his works BSA. On top of that, Joel Smets finished third on a Husaberg four-stroke this year. This seems to be generating a resurgence of interest in four-stroke motocross. This new class is a natural for four-strokes. In the future, it might even be conceivable to change it to an all-four-stroke series, although if that were to happen right now, they might have a hard time filling the gate. It will be interesting to watch and see if interest keeps going in that direction. The sounds alone might be enough to draw spectators to big four-stroke races. I have even heard that Honda has talked with Martens about testing a new four-stroke in Europe next year, with the intention of racing it in ’95. Wouldn’t that be an interesting twist?

So while I would be dishonest if I said the death of the 500 class didn’t disappoint me, I think it’s pointless to mourn for it now. The future actually looks more exciting than it has in years. Motocross, as always, is in the process of big change–and change isn’t such a bad thing.

 

The post DEATH OF THE 500 2-STROKE: CLASSIC DECOSTER appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine.

Lamborghini

Lamborghini Introduces SC63: Hybrid Racing Prototype for Endurance Racing

The LMDh car, SC63, has been unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It will compete in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship racing programs.

Sant’Agata Bolognese/Goodwood, 13 July 2023 – Lamborghini Squadra Corse has unveiled its first hybrid endurance racing prototype, the SC63, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The SC63 will undergo testing and compete in the Hypercar class of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, including the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race, as well as in the GTP class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship Endurance Cup, which features iconic races like the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. Italian team Iron Lynx will partner with Lamborghini to run the car in international competition, and the team has signed top-tier drivers from Formula 1 and endurance racing.

The LMDh project is part of Lamborghini’s strategy for electrification, focusing on hybridizing the entire model range by the end of 2024 to enhance performance and driving experience. The SC63 embodies this approach in the motorsport program, becoming a new pillar of the Lamborghini Manifesto: Driving Humans Beyond.

“The SC63 is the most advanced racing car ever produced by Lamborghini, following our electrification roadmap ‘Direzione Cor Tauri’,” says Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini Chairman and CEO. “Competing in major endurance races with a hybrid prototype aligns with our vision for high-performance mobility, as demonstrated by the launch of the Revuelto road legal car. The SC63 LMDh represents a step into the highest echelons of motorsports and the future of Squadra Corse.”

The SC63 features an all-new 3.8-liter twin turbo V8 engine developed specifically by Lamborghini engineers for the racing program. It employs a ‘cold V’ configuration, where the turbos are mounted outside the vee angle of the engine for better cooling and servicing. This configuration also reduces the car’s weight and optimizes its center of gravity. Combined with a specially developed aerodynamic balance and attitude, this solution allows for excellent tire grip, balance, drivability, and consistent speed over both single laps and long-distance races.

Regulations restrict the power from the engine and the hybrid system, standardized across LMDh-category cars, to 500kW (680 CV). The Power Unit is managed by a Bosch electronic control unit. The LMDh rule set specifies standard gearbox, battery, and motor generator unit (MGU) to control development costs for the prototype.

Lamborghini engineers have leveraged their expertise in various aspects of the car’s design and performance. Despite a standardized gearbox for LMDh cars, customization is allowed, including gear ratio selection and mechanical differential slip. The monocoque for the SC63 is developed and built by renowned experts Ligier, with Lamborghini able to determine specific requirements such as the push rod front suspension design, weight distribution, and ease of service for critical components. The bellhousing, which connects the rear of the engine to the front of the gearbox, enhances torsional stiffness and houses the electric engine.

In terms of braking, the system must deliver high performance and reliability in all conditions. The challenge is to strike a balance between weight and durability, effective cooling, and the ability to accommodate different driving styles.

The exterior design of the SC63, created by Lamborghini’s Centro Stile design department in collaboration with the race design team, incorporates distinctive brand features, including the iconic y-shaped lights at the front and rear.

Team drivers Mirko Bortolotti, Andrea Caldarelli, Daniil Kvyat, and Romain Grosjean have provided valuable input in tuning the LMDh system. The latter two have recent experience with hybrids in Formula 1 and have contributed to designing the steering wheel controls to enable the driver to manage the hybrid system effectively.

“Motorsport is a valuable and demanding proving ground for our technology,” says Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer. “Our LMDh car, the Lamborghini SC63, represents an exciting technical and human challenge. Developing our internal combustion engine, efficient aerodynamics, and overall technical package has pushed us to constantly raise our standards. Now, it’s time to hit the track and be ready to compete in the 2024 season. We also aim to transfer our learnings from motorsport to our future production cars whenever possible.”

The SC63 will run in a livery consistent with the branding seen on Lamborghini’s Huracán GT3 challenger. The cars will have a Verde Mantis green color with a black Nero Noctis strip over the cabin, front hood, carbon diffuser, rear fin, and wing. They will also feature the Italian Tricolore colors of green, white, and red, as well as the branding of Lamborghini’s long-time partner, Swiss watch manufacturer Roger Dubuis.

With its cooling layout greatly influencing the engineering and design, the SC63 incorporates eight radiators, including those for intercoolers, gearbox, air conditioning, Energy Recovery System (ERS), Energy Storage System (ESS), and water.

Due to regulations, there is only one allowed body kit configuration with limited changes between races. As a result, the design team has to consider worst-case scenarios, such as high ambient temperatures, and manage the thermal efficiency of the car at both IMSA and WEC circuits.

The SC63 has been designed and developed to provide optimal performance while ensuring tire preservation, even on demanding track surfaces. Prior to on-track testing, extensive development work has been conducted using a Driver in the Loop (DiL) simulator.

Starting in 2024, Lamborghini will enter one car in the full FIA World Endurance Championship and another in the North American Endurance Championship races of the IMSA series. Both cars will be run by the Iron Lynx team, which was introduced as a partner at the 2022 Lamborghini Grand Finals. The driving lineup will include Bortolotti, Caldarelli, Grosjean, and Kvyat, with more drivers to be announced later in 2023.

ABOUT ROGER DUBUIS

Roger Dubuis is a watchmaker known for its distinctive character and horological expertise. Since 1995, the brand has been at the forefront of expressive watchmaking, constantly reinventing Haute Horlogerie with its bold Hyper Horology™ concept. With its fully-integrated manufacture, Roger Dubuis is committed to performance and excellence, crafting traditional yet contemporary masterpieces that showcase radical skills and ancestral craftsmanship. The Maison brings its avant-garde and daring energy to an exclusive circle of clients, offering the most exciting way to experience Hyper Horology™.

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BMW

BMW Motorrad Motorsport returns to historic Imola circuit with the WorldSBK – Leon Haslam on the second BMW M 1000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.

Munich. BMW Motorrad Motorsport is making a comeback at the historic Imola circuit in Italy with the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK). The seventh round of the 2023 WorldSBK season will be held at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari from 14th to 16th July. Imola has been a regular stop for the WorldSBK in the past, with the most recent visit in 2019. Leon Haslam from the UK will join Scott Redding in the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, riding the second BMW M 1000 RR.

Haslam is no stranger to BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the WorldSBK. Between 2003 and 2022, the 40-year-old British rider has competed in a total of 316 WorldSBK races and finished as the championship runner-up in 2010. Haslam raced as a BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory rider with the BMW S 1000 RR in 2011 and 2012, achieving eight podium finishes. Currently, Haslam is competing in the British Superbike Championship (BSB) with the ROKiT BMW Motorrad British Superbike Team aboard the BMW M 1000 RR, where he has already secured six podium finishes in the 2023 season, including two at the recent round at Snetterton.

Imola is a track with a rich tradition, but it hasn’t been on the WorldSBK calendar in recent years, making it unfamiliar to some teams and riders. The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, Haslam, and Loris Baz (FRA) have experience at the circuit. However, Redding and Garrett Gerloff (USA), as well as the Bonovo Action BMW Racing Team, will be making their debut at Imola.

Quotes ahead of the Imola round.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “First of all, many thanks to Leon for being available at short notice to be with us at Imola. We know each other well from the past, where we celebrated success together, and this season he has returned to the BMW Motorrad family in BSB and is familiar with the new BMW M 1000 RR. He also has a lot of WorldSBK experience, and we are confident that he will quickly get back up to speed at Imola. After his crash at Donington, Tom Sykes is on the road to recovery and was discharged from the hospital on Sunday after a week, and we all send him our best wishes. Michael participated in a track day last week, however a return for Imola would still be too early, and we have jointly decided that he will sit out this weekend, and then we will reassess the situation. Now we are excited about Imola. Scott showed a clear upward trend in Donington, which was confirmed by his fourth-place finish in the second race. Garrett was also fast and consistently strong there, and we want to continue that at Imola. However, a major topic will be the high heat expected over the weekend which can be challenging for humans, machines, and tires.”

Garrett Gerloff, #31 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo Action BMW Racing Team: “It’s going to be an interesting weekend, I think. It’s a track that I’ve never been to, and it looks like it could be technical. But I feel good learning new layouts, and this circuit, being mainly left-hand corner dominant with some elevation changes and tighter corners, reminds me of the tracks I raced in America. I’m hoping this connection helps me learn it faster, but I think there will be a few people who haven’t been there or haven’t been there in a while. I just hope it will be a good weekend, and we can keep improving like we did at Donington.”

Scott Redding, #45 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Imola is a new track for me, so it’s another element to the weekend. I always like new tracks! I hope for a good weekend and to maintain the momentum from Donington.”

Loris Baz, #76 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo Action BMW Racing Team: “It has been a tough season and tough couple of weekends with no luck unfortunately at the last two rounds, which is a shame because I feel strong again on the bike. I just need to have a calm weekend, so I hope Imola will be that one. I’m sending my best wishes again to Tom Sykes and Michael Ruben Rinaldi, who were involved in the crash at Donington, and I hope they can come back soon. For me, I’m really happy to come back to Imola. It’s a track that I always loved and have good memories of. It’s an old school circuit with a different atmosphere compared to other venues. I’m really looking forward to it. I’m sure we can be fast there. I know the layout and everything. I just hope we can put all our bad luck behind us and have a nice and calm weekend on the BMW M 1000 RR. I know the guys on this team never stop working incredibly hard, and I feel it’s definitely time to get our normal mojo back and rediscover the pace we had at the beginning of this season.”

Leon Haslam, #91 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It’s a fantastic opportunity. Obviously, I have a lot of history with Imola. We took the championship down to the last round here in 2010. I have a lot of history from this circuit, and it’s fantastic to ride again for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. We are riding the BMW M 1000 RR in the UK, so I’m looking forward to working with Shaun Muir and all the guys from the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. I have no real big expectations; I just want to try to enjoy it and hopefully get some good information and results.”

Track Facts Imola.

Circuit length

4.936 km – anti-clockwise

Corners

22 – 9 right-handers, 13 left-handers

Pole position

Left

Longest straight

358 meters (start-finish straight)

Track layout

Stop&Go track with slow and fast chicanes, many changes in elevation, challenging changes of direction.
News

Dacia teams up with Prodrive to enter Dakar rally in 2025

Dacia has announced its participation in the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) and plans to compete in the famous Dakar rally starting from 2025.

The automaker will collaborate with British specialist Prodrive to develop a prototype 4×4 vehicle. Prodrive is well-known for its involvement in the World Rally Championship and has previously worked with the Subaru World Rally Team.

Although Dacia hasn’t revealed how closely the race car will resemble its road models, the brand will have a production version of the Bigster SUV and a redesigned Duster available for sale by 2025.

Dacia’s participation in the W2RC will provide an opportunity to explore new ideas related to “outdoor functionality” and develop more environmentally friendly powertrain solutions. The brand aims to strengthen its go-anywhere lifestyle branding and commitment to low-carbon mobility.

To start with, Dacia will use synthetic fuels supplied by Aramco for its prototype racers. These fuels are produced by blending renewable hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide. Aramco, a Saudi Arabian firm, recently announced its investment in Renault-Geely’s combustion-engine joint venture and plans to expand into hydrogen and synthetic fuel technologies.

The Dacia 4x4s will be piloted by Sébastien Loeb and Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero, two highly regarded drivers. Testing for the vehicles will commence at next year’s Rally of Morocco.

Loeb, widely considered as one of the greatest rally drivers in history, has won nine consecutive WRC drivers’ titles from 2004 to 2012. He has participated in the Dakar rally since 2016 and achieved podium finishes in several years, but is yet to secure a victory.

NewsNew

2023 WORLD SUPERCROSS ROUND ONE RESULTS & FULL REPLAY

The first round of the 2023 World Supercross Championship took place in Birmingham, England, and it was a celebration for the defending champions. Ken Roczen dominated the three 450 races by winning the first and third, while the second race had some controversy. Justin Hill was declared the winner after both Vince Friese and Ken Roczen were penalized for jumping on a red cross flag. Despite the penalty, Roczen still secured the overall victory in the 450 class. In the 250 class, defending champion Shane McElrath battled with Max Anstie and emerged as the winner. This event marks the start of the 2023 season, which consists of six stops.

Last year, the WSX pilot season was launched at Principality Stadium,Cardiff to over 35,000 fans before it headed down under, where 50,000 fans witnessed the finale across two nights at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. In the 2022 Championship, Ken Roczen from Germany emerged as the winner in the WSX class, and Shane McElrath from the USA claimed victory in the SX2 class. WSX offers a total prize money of US$250,000 to be won at each round across the two racing classes – WSX (450cc) and SX2 (250cc). Additionally, the Championship provides financial support to teams and riders.

2023 SCHEDULE

01 Jul BRITISH GRAND PRIX
30 Sept SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX
14 Oct GERMAN GRAND PRIX
28 Oct CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
04 Nov ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
24 Nov AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX

WSX CLASS RESULTS

1 ROCZEN Ken 25 / 18/ 26
2 SAVATGY Joey 18 / 22/ 22
3 FRIESE Vince 22 / 20 / 11
4 HILL Justin 20 / 25/ 6
5 WILSON Dean 15 / 16 / 20
6 CHISHOLM Kyle 11 / 14 / 18
7 BRAYTON Justin 16 / 13 / 12
8 NICHOLS Colt 14 / 12 / 13
9 ARANDA Gregory 5 / 15 / 16
10 MORANZ Kevin 8 / 11 / 14
11 HILL Josh 9 / 8 / 15
12 CLASON Cade 2 / 10 / 10
13 RODRIGUEZ Anthony 7 / 7 / 8
14 SOUBEYRAS Cedric 3 / 9/ 9
15 SEELY Cole 13 / 6 / 1
16 TIXIER Jordi 6 / 5 / 7
17 RAMETTE Thomas 12 / 3 / 2
18 MOSS Matt 10 / 0 / 0
19 BRUNELL Jack 0 / 4 / 4
20 LEFRANCOIS Charles 0 / 2 / 5
21 CARTWRIGHT Josh 1 / 1 / 3
22 HARLIN Grant 4 / 0 / 0

SX2 CLASS RESULTS

1 MCELRATH Shane 25 / 22 / 25
2 ANSTIE Max 22 / 25 / 22
3 LOPES Enzo 18 / 20 / 19
4 OLDENBURG Mitchell 20 / 7 / 20
5 PETERS Kyle 15 / 15 / 15
6 DESPREY Maxime 11 / 14 / 16
7 TANTI Aaron 14 / 13 / 11
8 MILLER Henry 12 / 12 / 12
9 OWEN Jace 10 / 16 / 6
10 PARK Cullin 13 / 2 / 14
11 CLOUT Luke 16 / 0 / 13
12 BLOSE Chris 9 / 18 / 1
13 MILLER Max 7 / 5 / 10
14 BOURDON Anthony 6 / 9 / 7
15 ESCOFFIER Adrien 0 / 11 / 8
16 YODER Hunter 4 / 3 / 9
17 BOGLE Justin 8 / 1 / 5
18 WOODCOCK Dylan 5 / 6 / 3
19 LINVILLE Gage 3 / 8 / 2
20 ALESSI Michael 2 / 10 / 0
21 NEESE Luke 1 / 4 / 4

BMW

BMW Motorrad Motorsport ready for the WorldSBK weekend at Donington Park – Home round for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.

The FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) returns to historic ground. The sixth round of the 2023 season will take place at Donington Park (GBR), where the first WorldSBK race was held in 1988, from June 30 to July 2. The circuit near Nottingham (GBR) is also a special place for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. Several significant successes have been celebrated there in the past. It is also the home race for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, as well as Scott Redding (GBR) and Tom Sykes (GBR), who will once again stand in for injured Michael van der Mark (NED) this weekend.

The Bonovo action BMW Racing Team aims to continue its momentum from Misano four weeks ago (ITA) at Donington Park. At Misano, Garrett Gerloff (USA) achieved his best result of the season so far in a main race, finishing eighth in race two. His teammate Loris Baz (FRA) has used the break since Misano to train intensively and is confident of being 100% fit again after the injury he suffered at Mandalika (IDN).

The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team has a special tradition for its home race at Donington Park. At the beginning of race week, the entire team gathers at their headquarters in Guisborough (GBR), about two and a half hours’ drive from the race circuit. “Our team is based in the north of England, and after we set off for the first European event, all the trucks, equipment, bikes, and so on return to the UK for the first time. We’re practically on the road all year round,” explained Team Principal Shaun Muir. “After the races at Misano and before the races at Imola, this is the only time we have all the equipment here. It’s a good time to pack the trucks with new equipment, and we have the opportunity to prepare the bikes here in our workshop instead of doing it at the track on a Wednesday and Thursday. Here, we have several days and a suitable environment to get everything ready for Donington Park.” The 17,000-inhabitant town of Guisborough is Shaun Muir’s hometown. The team’s headquarters was established in 2002 and has been developed there since.

In addition to the core team permanently based in Guisborough, the days leading up to the race weekend at Donington Park provide an opportunity for the international team to come together. “Our team members mainly have the chance to meet during race weekends. Our mechanics come from all over Europe, from the UK, Portugal, France, Poland, and so on and now they all gather here with us. It’s really like a big team get-together,” said Muir.

Now everything is prepared, the trucks have arrived at Donington from Guisborough, and the race weekend can begin. It’s a track that team manager Muir finds exciting not only because it’s the home track: “I think what’s really special about Donington is that it’s a motorcycle track through and through. It has always been on the WorldSBK calendar; that’s where it all started. Personally, I really like the circuit, and all the riders I speak to feel the same way. I believe that Donington Park is one of the top-three tracks for almost all riders, from the past and the present. It’s a real attraction. So, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Quotes ahead of the Donington Park round.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “After a four-week break, we are now continuing with three race weekends within five weeks. We want to start this series of events at Donington Park, Imola, and Most in the best possible way. We have very good memories associated with Donington Park. It’s where we celebrated our first WorldSBK victory in 2012, and also after our factory comeback in 2019, we had successful outings at this circuit. The goal, of course, is to continue this trend. The track has been resurfaced, and in the initial practice sessions, we will see how it affects the handling and setup work. In any case, we are looking forward to exciting races at the historic Donington Park circuit and working hard to close in on the front.”

Garrett Gerloff, #31 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “I’m really looking forward to Donington Park this weekend. It’s a track where I had success in the past and so did BMW, so hopefully we can have a good weekend and find a setup quickly. It’s going to be slightly different because there’s new asphalt, but I think that’s good for us. We’ll see how it goes. I’m definitively looking forward to it.”

Scott Redding, #45 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I’m looking forward to my home round at Donington Park. Last year, it went well there for us and I would like to achieve similar results this time. That would be great in front of my home crowd. There is a new track surface so we need to see how that reacts with the tyres.”

Tom Sykes, #66 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I am very much looking forward to Donington Park. It’s my home race and a circuit that I enjoy. It’s also the home race for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. Not only that, on the BMW in the past I’ve had some success there so we have that in mind and with what we learnt at Misano we can hopefully make the base setting of the BMW M 1000 RR a bit more suited to me. I’ve had a good chat with my crew-chief Marcus Eschenbacher in between with some ideas for Donington so I am really looking forward to the possibilities. We’ve also had some fantastic weather here in the UK and if that can continue into the weekend, I can imagine that it can provide excellent racing for the fans. Fingers crossed for a successful weekend.”

Loris Baz, #76 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “It’s been quite a long time since Misano, but Misano was the first race where I was feeling good on the bike and not riding in pain, so it’s definitely a big improvement for me to be able to ride like this. I had a good three, four weeks to train even more. I’m back at 100 % now, so I’m really looking forward to this round. I love the Donington track! I hope we have more luck than at Misano where we had some issues. I’m confident of finally ride pain-free and enjoying riding the bike. Let’s see if the new Donington surface brings us luck.”

Track Facts Donington Park

Track Facts Donington Park.

Circuit length

4.023 km – clockwise

Corners

12 – 7 right-handers, 5 left-handers

Pole position

Left

Longest straight

550 metres (start-finish straight)

Grip level

Medium

Track layout

Fluid, fast turns; hard braking zones; climbs and descents

Strain on brakes

Medium

Amount at full throttle

28 %

Top speed / lowest speed

277 km/h / 45 km/h

Best overtaking opportunity

T1, T9, T11

Key factors

High speeds through the turns, stability and feel on brakes when leaning, courage
BMW

BMW M Team WRT begins preparation for WEC with BMW M Hybrid V8

Munich. BMW M Motorsport is gearing up for its return to the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Last week, BMW M Team WRT successfully conducted the first test drives with the BMW M Hybrid V8. The rollout of the test car took place on May 27th at the BMW Group plant in Dingolfing.

 

The initial test drives were led by BMW M works driver Nick Yelloly, who brought his experience from the BMW M Hybrid V8’s participation in the North American IMSA series. Yelloly, along with his teammate Connor De Phillippi and BMW M Team RLL, secured the first IMSA win for the BMW M Hybrid V8 at Watkins Glen and achieved two podium finishes in previous races.

The first test days took place at Aragón, Spain, with the BMW M Hybrid V8 running smoothly for three days. BMW M works drivers Jesse Krohn, Maxime Martin, Sheldon van der Linde, and Dries Vanthoor all took turns behind the wheel. Additionally, the members of the BMW Junior Team and BMW M works drivers Dan Harper and Max Hesse conducted a functional test over the weekend.

In the coming weeks and months, BMW M Team WRT will continue with numerous tests to prepare for the start of the FIA WEC season in March 2024. The aim is to have as many BMW M works drivers as possible providing feedback to the engineers.

 

Reactions to the test kickoff:

 

Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “The first test drives were a very good start to our WEC preparation. The BMW M Hybrid V8 performed well and provided valuable insights to our engineers and the team. Thank you to everyone involved for making this successful start possible. The experiences gained from the IMSA series races with BMW M Team RLL have been instrumental in our preparation. While the start has been successful, there is still a lot of work to be done. We are highly motivated for the upcoming challenges.”

 

Vincent Vosse (Team Principal BMW M Team WRT): “This is a big step and a milestone for the team. Representing BMW at Le Mans in the top category is a dream come true. We have the best manufacturer and the best team behind us. The rollout and testing went smoothly, and it was an important first step in our preparation for the 2024 season. I want to thank everyone involved.”

 

Jesse Krohn (BMW M works driver): “The test was an incredible experience for me. It was my first time driving a prototype and working with the WRT team. They met all my expectations, and it was one of the smoothest tests of my career. I thoroughly enjoyed driving this great car and contributing to the program. It’s all about gathering important data in these initial tests.”