BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team claims its best team result so far in WorldSBK with the new BMW M 1000 RR.

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The new BMW M 1000 RR has demonstrated its potential in the FIM Superbike World Championship. The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team claimed its best team result so far at the opening round of the 2021 season at MotorLand Aragón (ESP). Tom Sykes (GBR) and Michael van der Mark (NED) ended race two on Sunday afternoon in fourth and fifth places, just one and a half seconds outside the podium positions.

Alcañiz. The new BMW M 1000 RR has demonstrated its potential in the FIM Superbike World Championship. The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team claimed its best team result so far at the opening round of the 2021 season at MotorLand Aragón (ESP). Tom Sykes (GBR) and Michael van der Mark (NED) ended race two on Sunday afternoon in fourth and fifth places, just one and a half seconds outside the podium positions. Van der Mark had already impressed with a strong comeback in the morning’s Superpole race. Jonas Folger (GER) from BMW satellite team Bonovo MGM Racing finished eighth to round off a successful Sunday.

After enjoying warm and sunny conditions on Friday and Saturday, Sunday started with rain. The circuit was damp in places at the start of the Superpole race, but was also drying out in other places making tyre selection rather tricky. Van der Mark opted for slick tyres, on which he shot through from 15th on the grid to finish fifth at the end of the ten-lap sprint race. The Dutchman also set the fastest lap of the race on his BMW M 1000 RR. Sykes started from third place on the wet-weather tyre, and was initially running in the top five. However, he then fell back through the field and returned to the garage on lap eight as his tenth place on the grid for race two was secure in any case.

Conditions were similarly unsettled at the start of race two in the afternoon. Van der Mark (fifth on the grid) and Sykes (tenth on the grid) both opted for intermediate tyres. Van der Mark was battling with the leading group from the word go, and actually briefly took the lead on lap six. He then spent several laps defending second place against Jonathan Rea (GBR / Kawasaki). With just a few laps remaining, Rea and his team-mate Alex Lowes (GBR) managed to find their way past him. Meanwhile, Sykes was consistently picking his way through the field and ultimately found himself behind van der Mark. The two swapped positions on lap 16 of 18, meaning Sykes finished fourth, ahead of his team-mate in fifth.

Folger ended the Superpole race in 13th place, having started 18th. His big moment came in race two. He and the Bonovo MGM Racing team opted for slicks. Folger initially had to restrain himself and dropped down the field. However, he then launched an impressive comeback. On the final lap, Folger had climbed into sixth place, behind the two riders from the BMW works team. Shortly before the chequered flag, he lost two positions due to a small mistake, meaning he crossed the finish line in eighth place. Eugene Laverty, riding for BMW satellite team RC Squadra Corse, was 16th in the Superpole race and ended race two in 17th place.

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