Doha. The debut season for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and
the new BMW S 1000 RR in the FIM Superbike World Championship
(WorldSBK) has come to an end. On Saturday, the two final races of
the year took place at the ‘Losail International Circuit’, near Doha
(QAT). The finale did not go quite according to plan. Tom Sykes
(GBR) recorded two twelfth-place finishes, while his team-mate
Markus Reiterberger (GER) reached 15th and
14th positions.
Reiterberger’s side of the garage had high hopes for another
successful day after Saturday’s afternoon warm-up session.
Reiterberger was in the top three for a long time with his RR and
threatened to chalk up a fastest lap before finishing the session in
fourth place. However, the tables turned in the Superpole race, which
started at 16:00 local time. Sykes began from fourth place but fell
back through the field as the race progressed and crossed the line in
twelfth position. Reiterberger suffered a similar fate, finishing
15th after starting from ninth place. This meant that Sykes
began the main race on Saturday evening from tenth, with Reiterberger
in eleventh place.
Sykes and Reiterberger both enjoyed good starts. Sykes was in ninth
place for some time but lost several positions as the race progressed
before crossing the line in twelfth place. Reiterberger had to avoid
another rider on the first turn and fell some way back as a result. He
was, however, able to make up some positions in the closing phase,
finishing the race in 14th place.
Overall, it was a positive debut season for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK
Team. The team claimed four podiums, one pole position and numerous
top six finishes. Sykes finished the season eighth in the riders’
standings (223 points). Reiterberger claimed 14th place
overall (83 points).
As one season ends, the next one begins when on Tuesday
5th November, a press conference at the EICMA motorcycle
show in Milan (ITA) will focus on the involvement of BMW Motorrad
Motorsport in the WorldSBK. The main subjects will be a look back at
the 2019 season and a preview of 2020. More details to follow.
Quotes after race two at Doha.
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “Of
course, that was not quite how we had hoped to round off the season.
However, we continue to struggle to adapt to changing conditions, as
we saw in these fluctuating temperatures. That is one of the areas
that we will have to work on. We were able to collect more valuable
information during this weekend in Qatar, which we will be able to use
during the winter break as we prepare for next season. Overall, we
feel positive about how it went. From the start, we viewed 2019 as a
year for learning and we did record four podiums, one pole position
and many top six finishes. That is something to be pleased about and
we can build on this next season. I would like to thank the entire BMW
Motorrad WorldSBK Team and our riders Tom Sykes and Markus
Reiterberger. Everyone has been working hard since the project got
going. No-one gave up after any setbacks and that ensured that this
was a successful debut season. Thanks to everyone for that. Markus is
now bidding farewell to the team – I would like to wish him all the
best for the future.”
Shaun Muir, Team Principal BMW Motorrad WorldSBK
Team: “It was a tough day today. We didn’t make much progress
from the first day on track on Thursday and has been a difficult
weekend ever since. We felt we had some momentum from Magny Cours
going into Argentina, which didn’t turn out positively, and that has
followed us really into Qatar where we have been chasing a set-up.
Markus on paper looked like he was having a good weekend, he had good
pace in race one and into the Superpole race but unfortunately could
not convert that into strong positions today. Tom couldn’t find the
balance nor momentum so sadly we are signing off in Qatar not where we
hoped to be. However, on a whole we have achieved our targets of 2019
in what has been a successful first development season so onwards and
upwards for 2020.”
Tom Sykes: “It’s not the way I would have liked to
end the season given the results that we have had previously. We have
arrived at a circuit where you are in the corner for a long time which
is an area on the bike that we need to work on, so overall a very
disappointing weekend to end 2019. On the whole, the new project
finishing eighth in the championship is relatively good considering
there are six factory bikes from different manufacturers with a lot
more experience. We have had some very strong showings, we have shown
the potential of the BMW S 1000 RR and the relationship with the new
team has worked well. Going into the winter I would like to think that
the information the team gathered can be put into development and
ultimately a better starting point for next season.”
Markus Reiterberger: “We did adjust the bike a little
for the warm-up and the session went really well for me. I was in
third place for a long time and finished the session in fourth place.
That felt fantastic. However, the first turn in both races put paid to
my hopes a bit, although I had started well both times. In the main
race, I got trapped between two riders on turn one. I had to take
evasive action, which forced me to go extremely wide and cost me a few
places. After that, it was a pretty lonely race for me, but in the
closing stages I did manage to overtake three riders and score some
points in the end. At least had some renewed impetus on my final
weekend with the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, which helps me to feel a
bit better before the break. We had a great time and I would like to
thank everyone for giving me this opportunity. I wish the project
every success and I hope to be able to contribute something to it
again in the future.”