Munich. The BMW Motorrad Motorsport family can celebrate
titles number seven and eight. The 2018 Italian National Trophy 1000
(INT) champion is Federico D’Annunzio (ITA). Fellow BMW riders Luca
Salvadori (ITA) and Remo Castellarin (ITA) ended the season in
second and third place to complete a one-two-three for BMW racers in
the series. In the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSC), Amirul
Hafig Azmi (MAS) was crowned champion in the Superstock class (MSC
STK) after a brilliant performance on the final weekend of the
season. The final races of the year were also held in the Alpe Adria
Road Racing Championship (AARR) and the Italian Superbike
Championship (CIV). In the AARR, Karel Hanika (CZE) and Arnaud
Friedrich (GER) secured two wins each, while Luca Vitali (ITA)
claimed a CIV podium finish.
Italian National Trophy 1000 at Vallelunga, Italy.
Federico D’Annunzio (ITA) arrived at the final round of the Italian
National Trophy 1000 (INT) at Vallelunga (ITA), to the north of Rome,
as the championship leader. The BMW racer did not make it onto the
podium in either of the final two races of the year, however,
13th and seventh places earned him enough points to wrap up
the title win.
The race for the title was remarkably close, with BMW racers the key
protagonists. The runner-up in the overall standings after the final
race is BMW rider Luca Salvadori (ITA) – just 1.5 points behind
champion D’Annunzio. Third place in the championship also went to a
BMW S 1000 RR rider: Remo Castellarin (ITA).
The final two races of the year both produced a win and a podium
finish for BMW racers. The opening race was suspended after four laps,
meaning only half points were awarded. Victory went to Agatino Alex
Sgroi (ITA), with Castellarin crossing the line behind him in second
place. In race two, Salvadori was first across the finish line,
followed by Castellarin in third place.
Malaysia Superbike Championship at Sepang, Malaysia.
The winner of the Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSC STK)
Superstock class was decided in a thrilling finale by a perfect
performance from BMW racer Amirul Hafig Azmi (MAS). The TOC HKMTOYO
Racing Team rider was second overall going into the final round of the
season at the “Sepang International Circuit” near Kuala Lumpur (MAS).
The finale featured four races – and Hafiq Azmi won all four with a
commanding lead. In doing so, he scored the full 100 points on offer
and clinched the title in a manner worthy of a champion.
Sharulnizam Ramli (MAS), of FTA Liqui Moly Racing team, also claimed
two podium results, with a second and a third place. Ramli ended the
other two races in fourth place.
Four races were also held in the Superbike class (MSC SBK). Mohd
Ramdan Rosli (MAS / TOC HKMTOYO Racing Team) made it onto the podium
as runner-up in the fourth and final race. He had previously failed to
finish the opening two races and ended race three in fourth place.
Amirul Hafig Azmi: “First of all, I would like to
thank everyone who has supported me, my sponsors, my family and
friends. It was very hot in the races on Saturday and I really
struggled for grip. That improved on Sunday, but I did not give it
everything. I did not want to take any unnecessary risks. For me, it
was not about setting the fastest lap time – instead, I just tried to
finish the race well. My goal was to win the title.”
Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship at Oschersleben, Germany.
BMW riders once again showed what they are capable of at the Alpe
Adria Road Racing Championship (AARR) finale at Oschersleben (GER). In
the Superbike class (AARR SBK), Karel Hanika (CZE), of the Mercury
Racing Team, was once again unbeatable. The Czech racer bagged another
brace of wins at Oschersleben, also setting the fastest lap in both
races. His team-mate Ondrej Jezek (CZE) came home third in race two.
Jezek had previously finished sixth in the opening race. Christopher
Kemmer (AUT / Bertl K. Racing Team) was fourth and fifth.
In the Superstock class (AARR STK), BMW racer Michal Filla (CZE / BMW
Sikora Motorsport) had already been confirmed as champion at the
penultimate event of the season at the Red Bull Ring (AUT), however,
it was another BMW rider who stole the limelight at the Oschersleben
finale where Team LRP Poland’s Arnaud Friedrich (GER) won both races
and set the fastest lap both times. BMW racers also claimed another
one-two-three for the RR in the final race of the season. Friedrich
was joined on the podium by Filla and Michal Prášek (CZE / Rohac and
Fejta motoracing team) in second and third place respectively.
Italian Superbike Championship at Vallelunga, Italy.
The final round of the 2018 Italian Superbike Championship (CIV) also
took place at Vallelunga (ITA), and there was a podium result for the
BMW S 1000 RR: Luca Vitali (ITA / DMR Racing) came home second race
two, having previously finished eighth in race one.