Tag Archives: Superbike

BMW

BMW Motorrad Motorsport ready for the 2023 WorldSBK season finale at Jerez de la Frontera.

Munich. This weekend (27th to 29th October) sees the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) draw to a close with the twelfth and final event of the season. BMW Motorrad Motorsport is eager to build on the good results of previous rounds at the finale at Jerez de la Frontera (ESP). Garrett Gerloff (USA / Bonovo action BMW Racing Team) finished in fourth place in both the main races at the penultimate round of the season at Portimão (POR), trailing first place by less than three seconds. Michael van der Mark (NED / ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) returned to the top ten there after an injury-enforced break.

Scott Redding (GBR / ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) is also hoping to round off the season with strong results after recent difficult races, and the same is true of Loris Baz (FRA / Bonovo action BMW Racing Team), who will be contesting his final races as a BMW Motorrad WorldSBK factory rider at Jerez de la Frontera.

The season was originally due to end in San Juan, Argentina, but changes were made to the calendar and Jerez de la Frontera became the new venue for the finale. The Andalusia tracm has hosted the WorldSBK many times previously, the most recent time being in 2021.

Quotes ahead of the Jerez de la Frontera season finale.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “It feels like we only just kicked off the 2023 WorldSBK season in Australia and now we’re already at the final races of the year. The season hasn’t gone quite the way we would have hoped for various reasons, including our bad luck with injuries. However, even if we couldn’t always secure the results, from mid-season onwards, we repeatedly demonstrated strength and pace, as we could confirm most recently at Magny-Cours with Garrett and at Portimão with Garrett and Michael. This shows that we have taken the right path. We are confident that we will be able to build on this at Jerez. Scott will be focussing on regaining his feel for the BMW M 1000 RR and we want Loris to bring home strong results once again in his final WorldSBK races for us. We are all familiar with Jerez from previous years and from test rides, and we need to translate our knowledge into performance. We’re all looking forward to the finale in front of the enthusiastic Spanish motorcycle fans.”

Garrett Gerloff, #31 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “I’m really looking forward to going into this last weekend of the year. I feel like the team and I are in a really good place. If we could have a solid weekend to finish off the year, this would be really good for us going into winter testing and into 2024. Our focus and our heads are set to try to finish the year off with a bang.”

Scott Redding, #45 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “We’re already heading into the final round of the season. It’s different to what was initially planned but Jerez is a circuit that a lot of riders know very well. I’m looking forward to the last round of the season. Hopefully we can have a good weekend.”

Michael van der Mark, #60 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It’s nice to go to Jerez, especially after Portimão. We had such a good weekend there and I gained a lot of confidence. Jerez is a very nice track, I really enjoy riding there. So with the improvements on the bike I cannot wait to see how it turns out there. Keep building, keep making progress and have a good end to the season – that’s the plan. Obviously it has not been the season I had hoped for but let’s end it on a high and get ready for the winter.”

Loris Baz, #76 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “It’s going be a special weekend for me, the last race with the team. I still don’t know how to feel about it, it will be strange. It has been two years, which were difficult, but we had some highlights last year. This season, it was tricky with the injury, but I always had a great group of guys around me. I want to push hard until the last lap for them. I really hope we can have a good and clean last weekend together, especially for the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team. I hope we can have a strong last race and some good moments. I am looking forward to it. It’s hard at the moment, but I want to be the best I can be for them and have a great party with them on Sunday.”

Track Facts Jerez de la Frontera.

Circuit length

4.432 km – clockwise

Corners

13 – 8 right-handers, 5 left-handers

Pole position

Left

Longest straight

580 metres

Grip level

Medium

Track layout

Partly long corner, hard braking zones

Strain on brakes

Medium / high

Amount at full throttle

25 %

Top speed / lowest speed

283 km/h / 59 km/h

Best overtaking opportunity

T1, T6, T13

Key factors

Good delay, agility
BMW

BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the WorldSBK 2024: Four Strong Factory Riders in Two Strong BMW Teams

Munich. BMW Motorrad Motorsport is making progress with its plans for the FIM Superbike World Championship 2024 (WorldSBK). The allocation of the four BMW Motorrad factory riders across the two BMW teams will enhance and optimize the overall project.

The Bonovo action BMW Racing Team will benefit from the expertise of Scott Redding (GBR), who has been a BMW Motorrad factory rider since 2022. He will be joined by his factory rider teammate Garrett Gerloff (USA).

The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team will feature new signing Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) and Michael van der Mark (NED), BMW Motorrad factory rider since 2021, as teammates.

Both BMW teams will receive equal support in terms of material specification and technical assistance from the BMW Motorrad Motorsport development department to ensure fair opportunities for all four BMW Motorrad factory riders.

Dr. Markus Schramm, Director of BMW Motorrad, says, “We have four exceptional BMW Motorrad factory riders in our two strong BMW teams, and with this new allocation, we are well-prepared for the WorldSBK season 2024. Scott Redding is an outstanding racer, and we appreciate that he is committed to our BMW Motorrad World Superbike project by utilizing his skills in the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team. His experience, speed, and expertise will be key as we work towards our collective goals alongside Garrett Gerloff and the entire team. The addition of Toprak Razgatlioglu allows us to distribute our factory riders perfectly across our two competitive teams. Alongside Michael van der Mark in the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, we have an ideal lineup for the overall project.”

Dr. Schramm continues, “Both teams will work closely with our BMW Motorrad Motorsport engineers to use the riders’ feedback to make continuous improvements to the motorcycle. We also believe that having two teams with top riders will increase the internal competitiveness, which will ultimately enhance the overall performance. We are confident that this new lineup of riders and teams is another important step towards reaching the top of the WorldSBK with our project. Lastly, I would like to thank Loris Baz for his collaboration. He will be leaving the World Superbike project after the current season ends. After his two seasons with the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, we wish him all the best for the future.”

BMW

WorldSBK Double-Header for BMW Motorrad Motorsport at MotorLand Aragón and Portimão.

In the final stages of the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), BMW Motorrad Motorsport is preparing for two consecutive race weekends in Spain and Portugal. The tenth season event will be held at MotorLand Aragón (ESP) from 22nd to 24th September, followed by round eleven at Portimão (POR) one week later.

After a strong showing by Garrett Gerloff (USA), who secured pole position and achieved two top-five results, as well as solid performances by Scott Redding (GBR) and Loris Baz (FRA) at Magny-Cours (FRA), BMW Motorrad Motorsport aims to showcase the potential of the BMW M 1000 RR in the upcoming races. Additionally, Michael van der Mark (NED) is looking to improve his performance following his return from injury.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport and its two teams, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, are well-prepared for the race weekend at MotorLand Aragón. They conducted a productive two-day test with all four BMW Motorrad factory riders at the venue at the end of August.

In between the WorldSBK events at Magny-Cours and MotorLand Aragón, Loris Baz participated in endurance racing as the fourth rider of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team at the Bol d’Or in Le Castellet (FRA), the season finale of the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC).

Here are some quotes from key figures ahead of the Aragón and Portimão double-header:

 

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “The test with our BMW M 1000 RR at Aragón was quite positive. The competition is very strong, but we’ve already been able to showcase the bike’s potential in the recent races at Imola, Most, and Magny-Cours. That’s why I’m very confident that we can build on that and carry the positive momentum forward. Whether it’s enough for the podium, we’ll have to see. But our focus is on laying the base for the upcoming season now. I’m looking forward to the next races. It’s a busy part of the season, with four race weekends in a row, including the finale of the FIM EWC, but after the podium for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team in the endurance world championship, we’re excited to go into the WorldSBK double-header.”

Garrett Gerloff, BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “I’m happy that we were able to do the Aragón test a couple of weeks ago. I hope that will help us this race weekend. We have to wait and see. The test was okay, so hopefully from Magny-Cours we can make some improvements and bring those to Aragón. The team and I are working really well together. I know that we can have a solid weekend. It was also good to have tested on the BMW at Portimão even if it was long ago, at the beginning of the year when we didn’t know anything. So, it’s going to be different by the time we finally get there. But I’m looking forward to it. I like both tracks a lot. I know that as a team we’ll be ready for anything. I’m also super excited to have my friends coming for both rounds. That should be really cool to show my friends what World Superbike is like. It’s nice to have some home vibes there.”

Scott Redding, BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “We’re heading into the next round at Aragón after a difficult weekend at Magny-Cours. I’ve had a good feeling on the bike but we just did not have the luck behind us and a couple of crashes. We tested at Aragón a few weeks ago and I felt pretty good there with the bike compared to the past, so it’s another weekend I’m looking forward to. Hopefully, we can have a better weekend than the last time at Aragón, which I think is possible. We’ll see how we get on, and I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike again and moving forward and seeing if we can get some better results than at Magny-Cours.”

Michael van der Mark, BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It’s nice to be back racing again. Obviously, Magny-Cours didn’t go as I had expected and also wanted, but I’m still working on my return. The only thing I can do right now is to do as many races as possible, so it’s nice to have two rounds back to back. We had a good test at Aragón, so it’s nice to go there with a good base, and the weather looks similar to the test, so that’s always good. Let’s see how it goes, and then I’m really looking forward to the Portimão round. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the calendar. I love being back there, and it’s nice to have back-to-back races. With the progression that BMW made over the last few rounds, I cannot wait to do the same.”

Loris Baz, BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo action BMW Racing Team: “It’s a busy month, but that’s nice. I always enjoy when it’s busy like that with back-to-back racing with different bikes. After the endurance weekend at the Bol d’Or, I am now looking forward to being back on my Superbike. The feeling we had at Imola and Most was really good. We then had a tough weekend at Magny-Cours, but we were still able to go fast on one lap. I hope that the test at MotorLand Aragón will also help to have a stronger pace. I’m really looking forward to being back with my guys again and to enjoying the two rounds back to back with Portimão. That is always one of my favorite races to go to. Portimão is my favorite track in Europe, together with France. I love being there. It’s an amazing track, an amazing place, and there is always a lot of great racing there. That will be the penultimate round, so I will try to enjoy all the races before the season is over.”

Track Facts MotorLand Aragón.

Circuit length

5.077 km – anti-clockwise

Corners

17 – 7 right-handers, 10 left-handers

Pole position

Right

Longest straight

1,211 metres

Grip level

Medium

Track layout

Very long straight, flowing infield

Strain on brakes

Medium

Amount at full throttle

27 seconds or 24.5 %

Topspeed / lowest speed

322 km/h / 65 km/h

Best overtaking opportunity

T1, T16

Key factors

Engine performance, good chassis, feeling on the brakes

Track Facts Portimão.

Circuit length

4.592 km – clockwise

Corners

15 – 9 right-handers, 6 left-handers

Pole position

Left

Longest straight

770 metres

Grip level

Medium

Track layout

Significant changes in elevation, more slower sections but also fast corners with compression

Strain on brakes

Medium / low

Amount at full throttle

20 %

Top speed / lowest speed

308 km/h / 52 km/h

Best overtaking opportunity

T5

Key factors

Stability, confidence in the front, good turn-in
News

Superbike Team Owner Paul Bird Passes Away At 56

Paul Bird, the owner of the BeerMonster Ducati Team in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, has died at the age of 56. The team made the announcement on September 1, 2023.

Out of respect for the family’s privacy, the details surrounding Bird’s death have not been disclosed.

Under Bird’s leadership, Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) has been dominating the British Superbike Championship with rider Tommy Bridewell. Bridewell, riding a Ducati Panigale V4R, currently holds the top spot alongside teammate Glenn Irwin. This unfortunate event may have an impact on the team’s performance in the remaining races of the season, with the next round scheduled for September 15 to 17, 2023 at Oulton Park.

PBM has achieved numerous victories in the British Superbike Championship, securing eight riders’ titles. The team’s success began in 2003 with Steve Hislop, who won five titles. Shane Byrne replaced Hislop and won three titles in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2017. In 2019, PBM became the champion again with ex-MotoGP rider Scott Redding and Josh Brookes on the Ducati.

In addition to their British Superbike achievements, PBM also managed Kawasaki’s factory World Superbike campaign from 2009 to 2011 before passing on the responsibility to Provec.

The team ventured into MotoGP in 2012 and participated in the Isle of Man TT with Ian Hutchinson in 2015, achieving victories with John McGuinness and Joey Dunlop.

Prior to his passing, it was disclosed that Bird had been briefly admitted to the hospital due to an undisclosed illness. Our deepest condolences to all those affected by his loss.

News

The Crighton CR700W Just Might Be The Purest Track SuperBike Ever Made

Does the motorcycle world need yet another superbike? Don’t we have enough from the likes of BMW, Kawasaki and Ducati? Who are these machines even for? Can anyone truly ride the Panigale V2 as it was meant to be ridden, while on their way to and from work? These are all valid questions, but perhaps they are besides the point. Because superbikes aren’t meant to be sensible. They aren’t ever going to be reasonable. No average rider could ever really use, let alone afford, one. Because you definitely cannot get the best out of them going from red light to red light.

So no, we probably don’t need another super expensive track toy. Unless that toy happens to be an apex predator no one sees coming. A true powerhouse, hand-built by a winning racer and engine tuner in a limited quantity of only 25 models. A superbike that holds, deep inside its fire-roasted chassis, an engine, the existence of which continues to defy all odds. The Crighton CR700W is a shark let loose in a sea full of baby seals, and it’s just getting started.

RELATED: The 10 Most Powerful Superbikes In The World

Crighton, The Man Behind The Machine

BRIAN CRIGHTON 2
Crighton

Only a racer could have come up with something like the CR700W. Well… a racer and a tuner. Much like Erik Buell’s ascension from the stables of Harley-Davidson, Brian Crighton’s career had also been jump started by his association with a motorcycle company with a certain amount of pedigree. In his case, that company was Norton.

In the 1980s the fabled manufacturer was dealing with all sorts of troubles, when Crighton, an engineer at the time, recently promoted to R&D, discovered that the company’s 588cc air-cooled rotary engine was being underutilized. Determined to showcase his capabilities, and the engine’s hidden capacity, Crighton increased its power from 85 to 120 horsepower, clocking an astonishing 170 miles per hour with it. This proved to be a watershed moment, and the one catalyst that had pushed Norton back into racing.

The company team would eventually go on to crush the competition from 1988 to 1994, when British race regulators banned the rotary engine from racing for good. But Crighton, a Senior Development Engineer by this point, had accomplished what he’d set out to do and then some. And by no means was that the last time he’d make an impact on the motorcycle world. Nor would it be the untimely death of the rotary engine.

RELATED: This New Buell Might Be The Most American Superbike Yet

A Motorcycle Engine Like No Other

Crighton-Specs-Engine
Crighton

A lot has been said, written and documented about the rotary engine, otherwise known as the Wankel Engine, named so after its inventor Felix Wankel. The short version is that it’s an internal combustion engine that uses a three sided rotor instead of pistons to deliver the rotations necessary to power the vehicle. There have been many motorcycles, as well as cars, that have utilized this technology, but it has never truly caught on.

And it was his time at Norton, using just such an engine to overwhelming success, that allowed Crighton to develop the power plant for his CR700W. Built in partnership with Rotron Power from high strength LM24 aluminum alloy, and machined in-house, the engine is low-friction, vibration-free and super lightweight. There is a lot of high-end science going on inside the combustion chamber, all of which coalesces in the highest volume-to-surface ratio of any other Wankel engine ever made. At least according to Crichton.

The twin-rotor engine has just three moving parts. That, along with exotic sealing and construction materials, allows for the engine to be mostly wear-proof. And because of that unique construction, it only weighs about 101 pounds. Combining all of those specifications with its performance figures (more on that later) it’s entirely possible that this is the apex of combustion engine technology.

RELATED: Top 10 Wankel-Engined Motorcycles

Class-Leading Tech And Features

Crighton 1
Crighton

The CW700R is a made-to-order machine, either for the track or with street specifications. But it is, ultimately, a machine meant for racing. As such, don’t expect to take this bike cross-country. It is a superbike after all. Having said that, some concession to comfort were made. The lightweight aluminum chassis comes with a fully adjustable mono-shock, to allow for each rider to tailor the bike to better suit their comfort needs. That shock, as well as the front suspension, can be either Ohlins or Bitubo superbike spec units.

The brakes are also top of the line, made to superbike spec by Brembo. The whole machine was made to be as light as possible, which includes utilizing carbon fiber wheels. And the revolutionary gearbox is installed in the chassis in such a way that it’s easy to remove and replace if any issues were to arise. Though the unit itself has been manufactured with increased width for longer durability.

Bleeding Edge Performance

Crighton 3
Crighton

Make no mistake, this motorcycle is nosebleed expensive, running at approximately $134,000. There’s also a very limited run of 25 units, hand-built, essentially in a small shed (if that shed was the top of the line Rotron Power aero-engine factory in the UK). As such, no one should expect perfection. But what you should expect, however, are face-melting performance figures. And fortunately, it has that in spades.

The aforementioned twin rotor engine is nothing short of a wild animal. The fuel-injected, four-stroke, 690cc Wankel puts out a heart pounding 220 horsepower, with 105 foot-pounds of torque. We know that it can achieve some phenomenal speeds, with some record-breaking runs out there, waiting to be achieved. And if it does happen, it won’t be done by some random, ordinary guy.

The Guy Martin Factor

Guy Martin Crighton
Crighton

If you have even a passing interest in motorcycles you may have heard of our Guy Martin. This cheerful, British racer, know to many as a TV presenter and an Isle of Man Tourist Trophy racer before that, has charmed his way into the hearts of many-a-bike fan. His unassuming, everyman charisma belies the fiery drive that propels him to attempt unachievable things. All of that is to say that he’s done some crazy stuff on two wheels and beyond. His records include, but aren’t limited to, the fastest speed on a gravity powered snow sled, a soapbox, tractor and hovercraft. There has also been an ongoing attempt to break the two-wheel record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, with Triumph supplying a Rocket III engine for the task. However, several unforeseen issues, from weather to accidents, crept up to continually postpone the attempts.

RELATED: Time for Guy Martin To Join The 300mph Club

After the Crighton achieved 172 miles per hour on the Bonneville Salt Flats with Stuart Garner at the helm, beating any previous rotary motorcycle speed record, it was now Guy Martin’s turn at the Elvington Track. The man responsible for taking a turbo Hayabusa to 260 miles per hour and beyond was certainly up to the challenge. And after several stabs at the circuit, Martin was able to surpass the CW700R’s previous speed record by posting a speed of 188 miles per hour. When the dust settled, Martin had nothing but praise for bike and its team, with only a few minor tweaks, like a possible addition of a quick shifter. The bike had won the veteran race over, with him going so far as to call other superbikes, mopeds in comparison. So does the world really need another superbike? Well, if the motorcycle in question makes the Fireblade look like a SuperCub, that answer becomes quite clear.

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.

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

2023 Ducati Panigale V4 R Comes to India

The Ducati Panigale V4 R, known as the “race bike for the street,” has made its way to the Indian market. While the Asian market is predominantly focused on small-displacement and practical motorcycles, there is still a demand for high-performance superbikes like the Panigale V4 R. However, this bike comes with a hefty price tag of Rs 6,999,000 (approximately $85,000 USD), due to taxes and import duties. In comparison, the Panigale V4 R has a starting price of $44,000 USD in the U.S. market.

2023 Ducati Panigale V4 R - Right Side 2 - Garage

The elevated price of the Panigale V4 R in India can be attributed to several factors, with taxes and import duties likely being the main cause. Those who purchase this superbike in India are likely to already have an impressive collection of vehicles.

What sets the Panigale V4 R apart from the regular Panigale V4 is its engine. The V4 R is equipped with a Desmosedici Stradale 998cc V4 engine, rather than the 1,103cc V4 found in the standard model. In its factory state, the V4 R produces 215 horsepower at 15,500 rpm and 77.7 pound-feet of torque at 12,000 rpm. With the addition of the Akrapovic full-race exhaust system, these numbers increase to 233 horsepower and 82.6 pound-feet of torque, while also shedding five kilograms of weight compared to the stock exhaust system. This results in a total weight of just 167 kilograms for this top-tier superbike.

2023 Ducati Panigale V4 R - On Track 2

In addition to the engine, the Panigale V4 R is equipped with race-ready components, including 43mm Ohlins NPX 25/30 forks and an Ohlins TTX 36 rear monoshock, both offering full adjustability. The braking system consists of 330mm front discs with Brembo Monobloc Stylema M4.30 calipers with four-piston calipers at the front, and a 245mm rotor with a dual-piston caliper at the rear.

Completing the impressive package is a range of advanced technology features. The Panigale V4 R comes with four riding modes, an up and down quick-shifter, IMU-powered cornering ABS and traction control, and launch control. The advanced IMU also provides additional rider aids such as wheelie control and slide control. The Ducati data analyzer with GPS telemetry allows riders to track and analyze their performance during track sessions.