alpharacing: newsfeed http://www.alpharacing.com/ get the latest feeds from alpharacing de alpharacing: newsfeed http://www.alpharacing.com/EXT:tt_news/ext_icon.gif http://www.alpharacing.com/ get the latest feeds from alpharacing TYPO3 - get.content.right http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:50:00 +0100 BMW Motorrad factory rider Marco Melandri: “I am very confident about the bike.” http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/bmw-motorrad-werksfahrer-marco-melandri-ich-habe-grosses-vertrauen-in-das-motorrad.html
Munich/Stephanskirchen, 02nd February 2012. . ]]>
How long did it take you to feel comfortable within BMW Motorrad Motorsport?
Marco Melandri: “For sure, it takes some time to get to know each other, but from my side we have actually got off to a very good start. I find the atmosphere in the factory very positive, and everybody has tried to work even harder than before. And from my side it is the same, so I really liked it. We know it will be a big challenge, and we know we need to keep up with the other guys. But we will do that. I am very happy to be here.”

What were your first impressions of the team?
Melandri: “That it was very big! That was a bit unusual for me in the beginning. But now we are all working together, and trying to use the full potential of all the resources and people available to us.”

What are your thoughts on the BMW S 1000 RR?
Melandri: “I am happy with it. Before I tested it for the first time, some people made me very scared because I had some bad experiences with the Ducati in 2008. When I jumped on the bike for the first time I discovered some difficult areas, but I was also pleasantly surprised by many of its positives. During the test with the 2011 bike I saw that it is a ‘normal’ bike without any pitfalls. We just need to take the pieces and put them together in the best way to provide the optimal package. Of course it was a lot of work over the winter, and we will see how long it takes us to have this optimal package. However, I am happy about the bike and about how it feels, so I am very confident. I think good confidence is the only thing a rider needs to be fast.”

How well do you get on with Leon Haslam?
Melandri: “We get on very well. I have known him since the time I lived fairly close to him in England. I think it is good for the team for us to be team mates because it means we can push each other, which is good for results. We do have different riding styles, but we have agreed on what changes to make to the bike so that we can work in the same direction in order to move the team forward.”

What do you think of the one-bike rule?
Melandri: “As far as I am concerned it is always better to have two bikes, because I always raced with two bikes. If in qualifying you have a small problem on one bike, you have the chance to continue on the second. That was also especially good for the sponsors. So for me this is not very positive, but it is the same for everyone. So now we need to prepare just one bike for the race. I am sure it will work out ok.”

What are your personal strengths – and weaknesses?
Melandri: “I always try to improve myself in those areas where I have weaknesses. That is not always easy. One of my strengths is that in races I am always stronger compared to testing and practice. I don’t know why. I’m a racer. I love racing, and as soon as a race starts I always try to give it a bit more than in practice.”

How do you relax away from the track?
Melandri: “Actually I love sport. So I try to train as often as possible, but not necessarily every day. Otherwise I stay at home, watch TV, or go out riding off-road bikes. For me it is difficult to do nothing. The only problem is to have the time.”

What is your target for the 2012 season?
Melandri: “To have fun. When I am fast I score good results – and I always enjoy doing that. That is why that is my target. I would like to have some good fights, score good results and feel good on the bike. Then it is a lot of good fun – and the good results will also be there.”]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:50:00 +0100 Winter testing - Valencia http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/wintertest-valencia.html Winter testing – Valencia. 25th to 26th January 2012. ]]>
Valencia, 26th January 2012. The BMW S 1000 RR is back on the track: Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport continued its preparation for the 2012 season with two days of testing (25th to 26th January) at Valencia in Spain. The winter test ban in the FIM Superbike World Championship expired on 15th January. Factory riders, Marco Melandri (ITA) and Leon Haslam (GBR), completed a total of 950 kilometres of testing on the 2012 race version of the RR. The weather was mostly sunny with some clouds on the second day, the air temperature reached 15 degrees Celsius, the track temperature 18 degrees Celsius.


Programme:
During this test, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport focused on verifying the latest developments it has made in recent weeks. The bikes were equipped with the latest version of the engine which proved to work perfectly. The team also worked with updated software for the BMW electronics and was able to further improve the electronic strategies. In addition, the team tried new parts on several areas of the bike.

Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport has drawn a positive conclusion from this test. The bike was working as expected in all areas. This allows the team to now focus on fine tuning the chassis and the electronics. Despite the cool track temperatures, the team was able to collect important information in order to prepare for the next tests.

In around two weeks’ time, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport will travel to Phillip Island (AUS) where the FIM Superbike Word Championship’s 2012 season will officially start on 26th February. Before that the team will conduct two more tests at the Australian circuit: from 13th to 15th February and at the official Infront Test on 20th and 21st February.


Marco Melandri:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
“It was good to be back on the bike after the winter. The testing of the updated electronics was very encouraging. We checked if everything is working well before we go to Australia, and the result was good. Of course we still need to improve in some areas. In entering corners, I still need some more confidence on the bike in order so I am to push properly, but we are all working very hard and I am sure that we will find a solution at the next test in Australia. Phillip Island is not an easy track, so it is important to be confident with the bike to be able to go into the corners very fast.

In the next two weeks I will keep in contact with the team and we will analyse the data from the test to prepare for Australia. In addition, I will do a lot of training.”


Leon Haslam:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
“It was a long winter back home and I am definitely happy to be back on the bike. We were lucky with the conditions. It was a bit cold in the morning, but we were able to get most out of the two days. We got through everything that we needed to go through, so I am very positive. These two days were important. We have a lot of new things for this year and it was good to test before we go to Phillip Island. In addition, it was good to get a few laps under our belts and get up to speed again. We definitely made big steps and are much further ahead compared to last year. It really is a stronger package and we still have five more days to test in Australia to dial it all in.

Next week I will go to Germany to meet the team there. Then I will fly back home, do some PR-Events and continue my training programme, and then we will be already heading to Australia.”]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:49:00 +0100 New Head of Race Operations for the Superbike World Championship. http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/neuer-rennleiter-fuer-die-superbike-weltmeisterschaft.html BMW Motorrad Motorsport and Andrea Dosoli agree to join forces. ]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Mon, 02 Jan 2012 08:23:00 +0100 BMW Motorrad Motorsport happy with test in Portimão http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/bmw-motorrad-motorsport-zieht-zufriedenes-fazit-nach-test-in-portimao.html Portimão, 30th November 2011 ]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:56:00 +0100 BMW Motorrad Motorsport continues preparations for 2012 with a successful test in Spain http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/jerez-de-la-frontera-25-november-2011.html Jerez de la Frontera, 25th November 2011 ]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:45:00 +0100 REPLICA FAIRING-PACKAGES FOR BMW S 1000 RR http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/replica-verkleidungs-pakete-fuer-bmw-s-1000-rr.html WSBK 2010 Replica
alpha Racing Performance Parts sells World-Superbike 2010, IDM 2010 und IDM 2009 Replica... ]]> Package 1:   - SOLD OUT - WORLD SUPERBIKE 2010 WITH SPONSORS
1.487,- EUR Package 2: IDM 2010 WITH SPONSORS
1.427,- EUR Package 3: IDM 2010 WITH SPONSORS
1.427,- EUR Package 4: IDM 2010 WITHOUT SPONSORS
1.784,- EUR Package 5: IDM 2010 WITHOUT SPONSORS #555
1.487,- EUR Package 6:   - SOLD OUT - IDM 2010 WERNER DAEMEN REPLICA
714,- EUR Package 7: IDM 2009 PIRELLI & PLAYBOY
2.374,- EUR all prices incl. 19% VAT, dealer prices on request more details and pictures >> see PDF ]]> Products Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:07:00 +0100 Newsletter system http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/newsletter-system.html
Our website has been updated and we want to invite you to subscribe to our brand new newsletter... ]]> Newsletter-System  The newsletters are concerted to each recipient and you´ll get newest information about:
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Your data will be saved strictly confidential and will not forwarded to third party companies! For sure you can unsubscribe whenever you like. For subscribing you only have to fill out the form on:
www.alpharacing.com/en/newsletter.html RSS feed: As an alternative you can subscribe to our rss feed, too: www.alpharacing.com/en/news.html ]]> alpha Racing Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:22:00 +0100 Preparing for 2012 http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/vorbereitung-auf-2012.html
Successful test for BMW Motorrad Motorsport at Portimão. ]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:36:00 +0200 Portimão - Portugal http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/portimao-portugal-6.html
Races ]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sun, 16 Oct 2011 20:27:00 +0200 Portimão - Portugal http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/portimao-portugal-4.html
Qualifying Practice 2 & Superpole ]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sat, 15 Oct 2011 19:44:00 +0200 Portimão - Portugal http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/portimao-portugal-2.html
Free Practice & Qualifying Practice 1 ]]> Temperature: Air: 30 – 31 °C, Track: 40 – 44 °C
Number of riders participating: 22 from 13 teams
Fastest lap Free Practice: Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) 1:43.945 min
Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:43.579 min


Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport had a difficult start to the final round of the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship at Portimão (POR). Factory riders, Leon Haslam (GBR) and Troy Corser (AUS), finished the first Qualifying Practice in 13th and 15th respectively. The team is confident that both riders can improve their positions tomorrow. Ayrton Badovini (ITA) and Xavier Fores (ESP), from the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team, finished in 11th and 19th respectively.

Leon Haslam:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:45.150 min (P14)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:44.426 min (P13)
“It was a difficult Friday. We experienced issues that we have already had a few times this season. It worsened when the temperatures rose in the afternoon, but we have an idea how we can solve this. We know in which direction we have to work tomorrow.”

Troy Corser:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:45.094 min (P12)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:44.631 min (P15)
“It has been a tough day for us. We have worked hard to find a set-up that suits the characteristics of this track, but at the minute we still have some issues. The track has a lot more bumps than when we last rode here, and that has made it extremely difficult to find a good feeling on the bike. However, the conditions are the same for everyone, we just need to work hard in the sessions tomorrow to refine the set-up and then we will see what is possible. We all have to remain optimistic and work hard to put ourselves in a good position come Superpole.”

Rainer Bäumel (Head of Race Operations):
“It was a difficult start to the weekend. This track is a little bit like a rollercoaster, and we are still working on finding the best set-up for these very special characteristics in order to make the bike easier to ride. In the afternoon, when it was hotter, we also had some issues with the grip. But I am sure tomorrow morning we can climb up the time sheets.”]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:14:00 +0200 Rainer Bäumel switches to BMW Motorrad Development. http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/rainer-baeumel-wechselt-in-die-bmw-motorrad-entwicklung.html Munich/Stephanskirchen, 12th October 2011. Change in personnel at BMW Motorrad Motorsport:... ]]> Munich/Stephanskirchen, 12th October 2011. Change in personnel at BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Rainer Bäumel (45), Head of Race Operations, will leave the factory team at the end of the 2011 season, to take on the role of Project Manager on a new vehicle project at BMW Motorrad. The man from Landshut played a crucial role in the entry of BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the Superbike World Championship, and was involved in the sporting development of the team in various roles. Bäumel’s successor as Head of Race Operations will be announced at a later date.
 
Hendrik von Kuenheim, General Director BMW Motorrad, says: “Over the past four years, Rainer Bäumel played a crucial part in setting up and developing BMW Motorrad’s Superbike project. As Project Manager, Technical Director and Head of Race Operations, he poured his heart and soul into the subject and was influential in defining the character and sporting development of BMW Motorrad in the World Championship. I would like to thank him for this, on behalf of BMW Motorrad. Within the framework of our product offensive, we must redeploy some of the capacity existing within the company. This also applies to motorsport. From mid-October, Rainer Bäumel will take on the role of Project Manager within a new vehicle project at BMW Motorrad.”
 
Bäumel says: “The last few years were a very formative time for me. When you work so closely and intensely together in competitive racing, the team becomes like a second family. For that reason, it will not be easy to bid farewell. On the other hand, I am very much looking forward to the new challenge in BMW Motorrad Development and will, of course, continue to keep my fingers crossed for the team.”
 
BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Bernhard Gobmeier adds: “Rainer Bäumel’s departure is without doubt a loss for the team. We wish Rainer all the best in his exciting, new role. We will now sound the market and appoint an adequate and experienced successor as soon as possible.”
 
Rainer Bäumel studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences in Landshut between 1986 and 1991. From 1994 to 1997 he was employed as Test and Technology Editor at the specialist magazine “Motorrad”, before moving to BMW Motorrad as an engineer working in the field of advanced chassis development in 1997. Between 2000 and 2007 he was Project Manager of the Boxer series. In 2007 he moved into motorsport with the Endurance project with the BMW HP2 Sport. In 2008 Rainer Bäumel took over the project management and technical management of Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the Superbike World Championship, before stepping into the role of Head of Race Operations in 2011.
]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:33:00 +0200 Portimão - Portugal http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/portimao-portugal.html
Preview ]]>
Ahead of the finale of the 2011 season, Leon is currently fifth in the Riders’ Championship on 216 points with Troy fifteenth on 85 points. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport already has 301 points to its name this season – 100 points more than at the same point of last season. In the Constructors’ Championship, for which only the manufacturer’s best result in each race is taken into consideration, BMW lies in fourth place on 261 points.

After the final race weekend of the season, the Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport will remain in Portimão for a day of testing in preparation for next year. A further-developed version of the BMW S 1000 RR will be used for this test session.


Leon Haslam:
“We are looking forward to the season finale. The last few races we have been getting the most out of our RR, which gives me confidence. Sure, we still have some small issues, but we will work on them. It is the last round of the year and we are still pushing for the first win.

The track is very up and down, and there are a lot of gradients in the circuit. This is sometimes difficult, as the bike tends to wheelie on these parts of the track. As such, it is a challenge to find the right set-up for these characteristics. Last season I had two second places, so it is a circuit that I enjoy. The weather looks very good for the weekend, so we are optimistic that we can have another good race.”


Troy Corser:
“I like the Portimão track. It has lots of elevation changes and I think that the track will suit our RR, because it is quite fast and flowing. However, there are a few crests over the hills where these strong bikes could pull wheelies. This might be our biggest struggle this weekend.

I am really optimistic. To go fast in Portimão you need a bike that is steering well, and this is the case with our RR. It is an area that we improved with the chassis set-up and I was quite happy with the settings at Magny-Cours. We are aiming to find a similar set-up and the same feeling at Portimão. We will also try to improve the tyre life over the race distance. Then we should be well prepared.”

 
Bernhard Gobmeier, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director:
“We will travel to the Algarve with the momentum gained on Sunday in Magny-Cours, which was a successful day. We showed in France that we can have a significant say in the fight for the places on the podium. Our lap times were up there with the leaders. Obviously, we are now looking to convert this into top results again at the last weekend of the season. We are hoping for two more exciting races in Portugal, and that our RR is right up there in the leading group.

We have no time to catch our breath after the finale. As soon as the 2011 season is over, we will dive straight into preparations for next year. We are staying in Portimão to test our further-developed and, in many areas, optimised 2012 bike on Tuesday.”
 
 
Background:
Portimão is located in the south of Portugal, in the western Algarve, about 200 kilometres south of the capital Lisbon. With a population of 50,000, the city is a popular tourist destination thanks to its plentiful beaches, impressive cliffs and many leisure activities. Motorsport also found a new home here a few years ago. In October 2008, the ultra-modern “Autódromo Internacional do Algarve” was completed in the hilly countryside to the north of Portimão. It was officially opened on 2nd November 2008 – with the season finale of the FIM Superbike World Championship.

Since then, the FIM Superbike World Championship has returned to Portimão every year, with this season marking the fourth occasion. This season, the circuit in the Algarve will host the season finale for the third time, having previously played this role in 2008 and 2009. In the meantime, Portimão has become a regular destination for many other motorcycle and automobile championships. Many teams and race series use the circuit for testing, due to its demanding layout. The racetrack is part of the “Algarve Motor Park”, which is also home to a modern karting track, a technology park, a racing driver school, and a five-star hotel.

The racetrack has a very unique character. It blends into the hilly landscape with a number of uphill and downhill sections, whilst also featuring changes in direction and gradient, a lot of long bends, and a winding infield. The teams are faced with the challenge of finding the right set-up for all these characteristics. In particular, the bike must lie perfectly when accelerating out of corners. The key to a good lap time is the final corner: here, it is important to take enough speed into the start-finish straight, which is almost a kilometre long.

British BMW factory rider Leon Haslam has good memories of Portugal: last year he stood on the podium as runner-up after both races in Portimão. His Australian team-mate Troy Corser also claimed a podium finish in 2008, when the FIM Superbike World Championship made its debut in the Algarve.]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:37:00 +0200 2 Rennen, 2 Länder und 2 Geschichten http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/2-rennen-2-laender-und-2-geschichten.html
FIM Superstock 1000 8. Lauf Imola, Italien und 9. Lauf Magny-Cours, Frankreich ]]> Garnier alpha Racing am letzten September-Wochenende nach Imola. Das Wetter und die Motivation des Teams hätten höher nicht sein können. Am Freitagmorgen erkundete Markus zum ersten Mal die anspruchsvolle italienische Strecke. Trotz vieler unübersichtlicher Kurven sagte die Streckenführung Markus auf Anhieb zu und er fuhr eine schnelle Runde nach der anderen. Markus war mit dem Bike noch nicht optimal zufrieden, fuhr aber auf Anhieb die 10. schnellste Zeit. Nach einigen Änderungen an der Federung und der Übersetzung, wollte Markus mit seiner BMW weiter nach vorne. Im zweiten Qualifiying verbesserte sich der Bayer um zwei Positionen und sicherte sich einen Platz in der zweiten Reihe für das Rennen am Sonntag. Nach einem grandiosen Start lag Markus auf dem 5. Platz. Im Rennen musste er Sylvian Barrier (BMW Italia), ziehen lassen und sah als Sechster die Zielflagge. Mit diesem Ergebnis kletterte Markus auf Platz 7 in der Gesamtwertung. Direkt im Anschluss hieß es für alle Teams zusammen packen und ab nach Frankreich. In weniger als einer Woche stand bereits das 9. Rennen der Saison in Magny-Cours, Frankreich auf dem Plan. Nach dem tollen Ergebnis in Imola, war Markus besten Mutes für sein Debüt in Frankreich. Am Freitag im ersten freien Training war Markus prompt gut unterwegs und fuhr die 6. schnellste Zeit. Im ersten Qualifying belegte er den siebten Platz. Doch die Freude währte nicht lange. Noch im selben Qualifying rutschte Markus in der ersten Kurve mit über 200 km/h das Vorderrad weg, ein Sturz war unvermeidlich. Markus selbst ist bis auf ein paar Prellungen und Schürfwunden nichts passiert und er konnte die Unfallstelle selbständig verlassen. Das Motorrad jedoch schlingerte unkontrolliert durch das Kiesbett und überschlug sich etliche Male und kam letztendlich kurz vor der Mauer zum Stehen. Mehr oder weniger Totalschaden. Nur noch der Rahmen und die Gabelrohre bildeten eine Einheit. Das Team war froh, dass Markus bei dem Sturz nichts schlimmeres passiert war und machte sich daran, ein neues Motorrad aufzubauen. Bis morgens um 4 Uhr arbeitete das gesamte Team am Ersatz-Bike. Markus kam mit dem neu aufgebauten Einsatzmotorrad nicht so gut zurecht und belegte im zweiten Qualifying nur die 16. Position. Am Sonntag beim Warm-Up testete das Team noch ein paar Veränderungen am Bike. Diese machten sich bezahlt. Markus war im Rennen sehr gut dabei. Er konnte zwei Plätze gut machen und fuhr als 14. über die Ziellinie. Nach dem neunten Lauf der Saison liegt Markus auf dem 8. Rang in der Gesamtwertung, nur 7 Punkte hinter dem siebten Andrea Antonelli. Am 16. Oktober findet das Finale der World Superbike Championship in Portimao statt. Das Team freut sich auf das letzte Rennen der Saison und wird noch einmal alles geben und vorne mitfahren. ]]> Racing Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:29:00 +0200 Magny-Cours - France http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/magny-cours-frankreich-2.html
Races ]]> Sunday, 02 October 2011.
 
 
Weather conditions: Sunny.
Temperature: Air: 21 – 27 °C, Track: 27 – 40 °C
Number of riders participating: 18 from 12 teams
Fastest lap Race 1: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:38.643 min
Fastest lap Race 2: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:39.136 min
 
Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport is celebrating another podium finish, and its best ever Sunday in the FIM Superbike World Championship. Factory rider, Leon Haslam (GBR), finished third in the first race of the penultimate round of the 2011 season at Magny-Cours (FRA) and came home fourth in race two. His team mate, Troy Corser (AUS), finished both races on his RR in ninth. Overall, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport collected 43 points this weekend, more than ever before.
 
From seventh on the grid Leon made up two places at the start of race one, but on the first lap he fell back to ninth. From there he started a fight back, getting nearer to the front with every lap, and then finally on lap 13, he was up to third. In the final stages of the race he was in a very close fight for P2, missing that position by only one second. Troy started from 12th and immediately improved to tenth. As the race developed he was able to make up another position. In race two, Leon was again fighting with the leading group, but had to end his charge for another podium in the final stages. Troy moved up to seventh despite some tyre issues, and defended this position until the final lap, but with the chequered flag in sight he fell back to ninth.
 
Ayrton Badovini (ITA) of the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team retired in race one and finished eighth in race two. His team mate Xavi Fores (ESP) was 11th in both races. Both races were won by Carlos Checa (ESP), who also clinched the 2011 world championship title at Magny-Cours. In the riders’ championship, Leon is now fifth with 216 points. Troy lies 15th with 85 points. In the manufacturers’ standings BMW is fourth with 261 points.
 
In the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup race three BMW S 1000 RRs were classified in the top six. BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team riders, Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA) and Sylvain Barrier (FRA), finished second and third on the podium. Fabio Massei (ITA) from Team Piellemoto completed the top six.
 
Leon Haslam:
Result Race 1: 3rd / Gap to 1st: 00:03.218 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:39.229 min
Result Race 2: 4th / Gap to 1st: 00:06.506 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:39.496 min
“I have not been on the podium too many times this year, so we will take every opportunity. In the early laps of race one I was struggling a little bit, but then everything started to feel better. It was a good battle all the way with Marco and Eugene for the podium spots. In race two we had a few issues with the hotter conditions which prevented us from getting another podium finish. Certainly we are happy with two strong results like we had today, but there is still room for improvement. Still we all understand the areas where we need to work and we will go away from here and focus on putting everything right in time for Portimao.”
 
Troy Corser:
Result Race 1: 9th / Gap to 1st: 00:17.143 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:39.329 min
Result Race 2: 9th / Gap to 1st: 00:16.278 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:39.443 min
“On the whole I am little disappointed. We have been strong and consistent all weekend, and in all honesty I was hoping for better results. I have been happy with the bike throughout practice and the setup seemed good for the races, but we really struggled for grip in the latter stages of both races. Two top-ten finishes on paper is not so bad, but with the pace we have shown we all expected a little bit more. Still we have some good information to work with going into Portimao in two weeks’ time.”
 
Bernhard Gobmeier (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director):
“Firstly, we want to congratulate Carlos Checa on his great achievement in winning the world championship. With his commitment and that of his team he really deserved this success. Our positive results have been a nice reward for our hard work over the past weeks and months. The positions were justified but we are still not exactly where we want to be. However, we have proved that we can do the times to run at the front. We still have to work on some details so we can continue the consistent level of progression.”
]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:23:00 +0200 Marco Melandri lines up alongside Leon Haslam for BMW Motorrad Motorsport in 2012 http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/marco-melandri-startet-2012-neben-leon-haslam-fuer-bmw-motorrad-motorsport.html Munich/Stephanskirchen, 2nd October 2011. BMW Motorrad Motorsport has confirmed its second rider... ]]> BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Bernhard Gobmeier says: “We are really looking forward to working with Leon and Marco. I am convinced we will have arguably the strongest rider’s line up in the Superbike World Championship field. We are delighted to have two riders who are both hungry and experienced for the coming season. That is the next important step for our team.” Gobmeier adds: “Marco has performed brilliantly this season, even during difficult periods. He impressed us in his first season in the championship, and we are pleased to be able to welcome him into our team.”
Profile: Marco Melandri
Date of birth:                           7th August 1982
Place of birth:                          Ravenna (ITA)
Place of residence:                 Ravenna (ITA)
Family status:                          Engaged
Height:                                     1.66 m
Weight:                                    60 kg
Hobbies:                                  All kinds of motorsports, cycling, music  
Passion:                                   Bikes
First bike:                                 Malaguti Grizzly 50ccm
First race:                                1989, Mini-Bikes, Cattolica (ITA)
Career highlight:                      250ccm World Champion (2002), 2nd MotoGP (2005)
Superbike World Championship record: 22 races, 12 podium finishes, 3 wins, 5 second and 4 third places, 1 pole position, 3 fastest race laps Website: www.marcomelandri.it
]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sun, 02 Oct 2011 10:06:00 +0200 Magny-Cours - France http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/magny-cours-frankreich-1.html
Qualifying Practice 2 & Superpole ]]> Saturday, 01 October 2011.
 
 
Weather conditions: Sunny.
Temperature: Air: 23 – 27 °C, Track: 28 – 42 °C
Number of riders participating: 18 from 12 teams
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: Marco Melandri (Yamaha WBK Team) 1:38.171 min
Fastest lap Superpole 3: Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) 1:37.490 min
 
 
Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport started with high hopes in today’s Superpole qualifying at Magny-Cours (FRA). In the previous practice and qualifying sessions, factory riders Leon Haslam (GBR) and Troy Corser (AUS) were close to the top on their BMW S 1000 RRs. But in the deciding Superpole qualifying both of them experienced some issues that prevented them from qualifying at the very front. Leon finished seventh and will start the penultimate round of the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship from the second row. Troy qualified 12th and on the third row. Ayrton Badovini (ITA) from the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team will start with his RR from 16th. His team mate Xavi Fores (ESP) qualified 17th.
 
Leon Haslam:
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:38.483 min (P5) / Fastest lap FP: 1:39.344 min (P10) / Fastest lap Superpole 3: 1:38.382 min (P7)
“We had a few issues in Superpole, which made the bike quite difficult to ride. If we can sit down now and solve these issues before tomorrow then a podium finish is certainly what we are aiming to achieve. We have been strong so far this weekend and the times are good on race tyres, but we just need to make some small improvements then we will be in a good position for the races. Right now starting positions and lap times are not what I am thinking about because we know if everything falls into place then we can be right up there.”
 
Troy Corser:
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:38.485 min (P6) / Fastest lap FP: 1:39.334 min (P9) / Fastest lap Superpole 2: 1:38.516 min (P12)
“It was a tough session. The qualifying tyres didn’t really improve my time as I was able to do the same times on race tyres, and that cost us in the end. It is a little frustrating because in order to qualify well you need to be going faster on the softer tyres, otherwise you won’t be able to match the speed of the other guys who can. But on race tyres the bike is working really well and I am happy with the set-up, so let see what happens tomorrow. Around here you need to get away well and run with the leaders, otherwise it can become very difficult to make up the time. A lot will depend on the first lap tomorrow. We have been in the top five all weekend so we are optimistic.”
 
Rainer Bäumel (Head of Race Operations):
“Leon did a good job. In Superpole 3 he did not have a qualifying tyre left. In view of this he did a good lap time. All the riders are very close and in Superpole 1 we had to send out both riders on qualifying tyres. Nearly everybody in the field did that, as one tenth of a second more or less means five places higher or lower. Troy unfortunately had some issues with his tyres in Superpole 2 that led to small mistakes. That is a shame, because otherwise he would also have made it to the next session.”]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sat, 01 Oct 2011 18:27:00 +0200 Magny-Cours - France http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/magny-cours-frankreich.html
Free Practice & Qualifying Practice 1 ]]> Friday, 30th September 2011.

Weather conditions: Sunny.
Temperature: Air: 25 – 29 °C, Track: 38 – 43 °C
Number of riders participating: 18 from 12 teams
Fastest lap Free Practice: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:39.013 min
Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:38.652 min


Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport is happy with the first day of the race weekend at Magny-Cours (FRA). The French track hosts the 12th and penultimate round of the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship. In Free Practice in the morning factory riders, Troy Corser (AUS) and Leon Haslam (GBR), finished third and fourth respectively. In the first Qualifying Practice in the afternoon Leon qualified seventh and provisionally on the second row. Troy was ninth on his BMW S 1000 RR. Ayrton Badovini (ITA) and Xavi Fores (ESP) from the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team finished in 13th and 17th respectively.

Leon Haslam:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:39.252 min (P4)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:38.977 min (P7)
“This day was pretty good. We tried a few different options on the rear tyres for the race distance. It is not easy to find a good set-up for this circuit, so we worked on that. The lap times are not too bad at the moment. We are only three tenths off the quickest time, and I lose a lot of time in just one corner. Tomorrow if we can rectify the issue that we have in that one corner, then we should be somewhere close to the front.”

Troy Corser:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:39.241 min (P3)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:39.025 min (P9)
“The position where we ended up does not show how we are doing. We made some good improvements. Regarding times on race tyres, I would probably be around third or fourth. The set-up of the RR is pretty close to what I am looking for. The chassis settings are working quite well, and we are also pretty consistent. I did quite a few laps on the tyres and the times were pretty good. Now we have a few things to look at, but generally I am pretty happy with the bike. On race tyres we are there. In the end we didn’t even put a new tyre on to safely qualify for Superpole, but saved it for tomorrow. This is where we should be.”

Rainer Bäumel (Head of Race Operations):
“I think we are pretty competitive, especially on longer runs. The guys in front of us all did their best times on one single quick lap. We were doing well in the first session with both riders finishing in the top four. This is a good base. Our aim for tomorrow is to get both riders into Superpole 3, and I think it is possible.”]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:07:00 +0200 Magny-Cours - France http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/magny-cours-france.html
Preview ]]>
After eleven race weekends, BMW Motorrad factory rider Leon Haslam (GBR) is fifth in the Rider’s Championship with 187 points. His team mate Troy Corser (AUS) is 15th with 71 points. In total, the two have scored 258 points for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport this season. In the Constructors’ Championship, BMW currently lies fourth with 232 points. Only the manufacturer’s best result from each race counts towards this competition.


Leon Haslam:
“Magny-Cours has always been a pretty good circuit for me. Last year, I rode my very first laps on the BMW S 1000 RR there. It is always a little bit cold when we get there, but it is the same for everybody. We have two races to go, and we definitely want to get back on the podium. These last couple of races are very important.

Magny-Cours is a circuit that should suit the RR. You have a lot of heavy downhill braking and corners that require you to switch down from sixth gear to fourth gear. As a result, the stability of the bike is once again very important for this circuit. It is also crucial to have the right set-up for the conditions.”


Troy Corser:
“Magny-Cours is quite a special circuit. It has lots of hairpins and some pretty fast chicanes. The grip there is normally pretty good. However, when we race there it can be quite cold, especially in the mornings. And then you have the possibility of rain. This can influence the grip level. We’ll have to wait and see what the weather is like. I really enjoy the circuit. I had a few good results there, including some pole positions. It was also one of the first places where I actually tested the RR. So it will be nice to go back there, as I have some good memories.

Important factors at Magny-Cours are the top speed of the bike and the braking. You brake from very high speeds down to the slowest corners that we have on the calendar. This is especially the case on the end of the back straight, where you brake from over 280 km/h down to under 50 km/h. So you need good stability on the brakes and a smooth connection, as the corners are quite tight. I think our RR will work well there.”


Bernhard Gobmeier, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director:
“We have a score to settle with Magny-Cours after last year. We want to reproduce the fine performances we have shown in recent races, but convert these into results that reflect the level of performance. We made more important findings in Imola last weekend, and are now looking to put these into practice in Magny-Cours. We hope the temperatures there are not so high. That would help us in terms of tyres and grip. In that case, we would have every reason to be confident. Our goal is to put on another excellent show and enjoy a successful penultimate race weekend.

Magny-Cours has already proven to be a successful stomping ground for the RR this season. The BMW Motorrad France 99 team finished on the podium there at the iconic Bol d’Or, the first race in the Endurance World Championship, in which the team still maintains hopes of winning the title.”


Background:
The “Circuit de Nevers” is located 250 kilometres south of Paris in the town of Magny-Cours, in the French departement of Nièvre. Work on constructing a racetrack began here in 1959. The circuit was opened in 1961 and modified for the first time ten years later. Since then it has been the subject of further modifications on several occasions.

Magny-Cours has a long tradition in motorsport and has hosted the iconic endurance classic, the “Bol d’Or”, since 2000. The FIM Superbike World Championship made its debut at the French circuit back in 1991. However, it was 2003 before it returned to Magny-Cours. Since then, the series has held its races there every year.

The circuit poses particular challenges for the teams and riders. The tarmac is extremely flat and offers little grip in some places. The frequently fluctuating weather conditions and gusty winds that sometimes blow through this region in the autumn can also make life tricky. The smooth surface soon becomes slippery when it rains.

Three hairpin bends give the circuit a unique stop-and-go feel. The track boasts a mixture of fast and slow sections. The first corner, which is taken in fourth gear, requires the bikes to be extremely stable. Good acceleration is important in the long “Estoril” bend, in order to hit the following straight at speed. The riders must then brake hard for the “Adelaide” hairpin. This is the slowest spot on the entire Superbike World Championship calendar. The bikes tend to pull wheelies upon exiting the bend. Over the remainder of the circuit, the bike must steer well into corners and accelerate powerfully out of tight hairpins and chicanes.

BMW factory rider Troy Corser has already achieved several pole positions and podium finishes at Magny-Cours. And the Australian celebrated his second world title there in 2005. His team mate Leon Haslam also claimed a podium finish there last year.]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:06:00 +0200 Imola - Italy http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/imola-italien-3.html
Race 1 and Race 2 ]]> Sunday, 25 September 2011.     Weather conditions: Sunny. Temperature: Air: 25 – 28 °C, Track: 36 – 44 °C Number of riders participating: 22 from 14 teams Fastest lap Race 1: Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) 1:47.960 min Fastest lap Race 2: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:47.943 min     After two promising days at Imola (ITA), Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport waited in vain for top results in today’s races. The team leaves the 11th round of the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship with another top-five result under its belt. Factory rider, Leon Haslam (GBR), finished fifth in the second heat after he fell in race one. His team mate Troy Corser (AUS) finished 12th in the first race, but had to retire in race two.   In race one, Leon kept sixth place on the opening laps. Then he found his rhythm and was able to push, closing the gap to the front runners. After eight laps, he was only 0.2 seconds behind the leading group. But then he fell on lap nine and was forced to retire. Troy started from 15th and was able to make up some positions during the race. After the start of race two, Leon was fighting in the leading group. But then he struggled to go the pace of the front runners and had to settle for fifth. Troy made another good start, but then lost positions and retired on lap 11. The races were won by Jonathan Rea (GBR) and Carlos Checa (ESP). On the grid of the second race, Troy was given a special award by Infront for having achieved his 4000th world championship point at Nürburgring (GER) earlier this month.   In the riders’ championship, Leon is fifth with 187 points. Troy lies 15th with 71 points. In the manufacturers’ standings BMW is fourth with 232 points. Ayrton Badovini (ITA) of the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team finished ninth and tenth respectively. His team mate Xavi Fores (ESP) retired in the first race and came home 14th in the second.   In the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup race four BMW S 1000 RRs were classified in the top 10. Sylvain Barrier (FRA) from the BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team finished fifth, followed by Markus Reiterberger (GER) from the Garnier Alpha Racing Team in sixth. Baru Racing Team rider Michele Magnoni (ITA) finished eighth, Fabio Massei (ITA) of Team Piellemoto crossed the line in ninth.   At the 24-hour race at Le Mans (FRA), Team BMW Motorrad France 99 started with its RR from pole position and led until the halfway point, but then suffered technical issues and finished seventh.   Leon Haslam: Result Race 1: DNF / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:48.743 min Result Race 2: 5th/ Gap to 1st: 00:17.388 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:48.883 min “In the early stages of race one I was struggling to push properly, but after a few laps I found a good rhythm and caught up to Tom and Carlos. Unfortunately I then got a false neutral. I went into the corner, the gear jumped out and in again and I fell. I am disappointed with the crash. For race two, we made some small changes to try and improve the bike, but the increase in air temperature meant things didn’t work out as we planned. So I lost the contact to the leading group and just had to try and maintain my position.”   Troy Corser: Result Race 1: 12th/ Gap to 1st: 00:26.444 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:48.976 min Result Race 2: DNF / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:49.287 min “In race one I did not get a bad start, but then I ran a little bit wide at the ‘Tosa’-hairpin. We had made quite a few changes on the bike, so it took me a few laps to learn how to ride it. Once I had worked it out, I was able to push. In race two I felt something was wrong with the bike, as I could hear a strange noise coming from it. I am not sure where it was coming from or what it was but something wasn’t right. So I decided to play it safe and pull in. It is a shame because I felt good and we could have scored some good points.”   Bernhard Gobmeier (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director): “After our good lap times on Friday and Saturday we, of course, expected more. In the first race we had a crash due to the bike jumping out of gear. Until then the lap times were great. In the second race the times were not that good anymore, so at the end of the day Leon finished fifth. This position was hard fought for, But there is room for improvement and we aim to transfer the information we have collected here into top results next week at Magny-Cours.”]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:40:00 +0200 Imola - Italy http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/imola-italien-2.html
Qualifying 2 and Superpole ]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:05:00 +0200 Imola - Italy http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/imola-italien-1.html
Free Practice and 1.Qualifying ]]> Temperature: Air: 27 – 28 °C, Track: 33 – 38 °C
Number of riders participating: 22 from 14 teams
Fastest lap Free Practice: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:49.294 min
Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) 1:48.241 min


Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport had a very good start to the eleventh round of the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship at Imola (ITA). The team provisionally qualified for the front row. Factory rider, Leon Haslam (GBR) finished the first Qualifying practice on his BMW S 1000 RR in third position. His team mate Troy Corser (AUS) provisionally qualified 19th. Ayrton Badovini (ITA) and Xavier Fores (ESP) of the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team finished in 14th and 22nd respectively.

Leon Haslam:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:49.531 min (P2)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:48.701 min (P3)
“I am really happy with the lap times. We did not use the soft tyre in qualifying and basically worked on race simulation. Our consistency is probably one of the best out there. I would say that this was one of the best starts we have had to a race weekend, so we are going to keep on pushing for tomorrow. Then it will all be about qualifying and choosing the right race tyre for Sunday. Today we have got some really good information and we will go on pushing in the same direction.”

Troy Corser:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:50.713 min (P15)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:50.011 min (P19)
“In the Qualifying session in the afternoon we used a different chassis setting than in the morning practice. It took us some time to set it up. We are a little bit behind, but Leon is right there. So we can compare and see what is different with the bike. So I am confident for tomorrow. I hope it will be dry in the morning, and then we are going to move up in the classification.”

Rainer Bäumel (Head of Race Operations):
“Leon did a great job. He was riding on used race tyres for the whole qualifying session – and those were not the faster softer ones. That makes me confident that we are going to have a successful weekend. With Troy, we still have to fine tune the set-up of his RR a little bit. To do so we will analyse the data tonight and I am convinced that we can improve tomorrow.”]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:43:00 +0200 Imola - Italy http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/imola-italien.html
Preview ]]>
After ten of the 2011 race weekends, Leon is fifth in the Riders’ Championship on 176 points, while Troy is fifteenth on 67. Between the two of them, they have scored 243 points for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport this season. In the Constructors’ Championship, towards which only the best result at each race counts, BMW currently lies in fourth place with 214 points.

Following the race weekend at the Nürburgring, BMW Motorrad and Leon agreed to continue working together into the 2012 season. The second factory rider for the coming season will be announced at a later date.


Leon Haslam:
„I am really excited that we can continue working together next season and am very happy that I can have one more year with BMW Motorrad. With the changes we made this year, along with the changes we are making for next year, we are really excited about next season. For now, however, we focus on the last three rounds of this year.

I am looking forward to Imola. We have made good progress with the bike and it is one of my favourite circuits. I really enjoy racing there and the atmosphere is always fantastic. The track is very bumpy and very undulating. You really need to have your bike set up properly, as the circuit is very demanding with different tarmac in places and a lot of changes of direction.”


Troy Corser:
„The track is very bumpy in places. It has four different surfaces around it where they resurfaced some parts of the circuit. It is very fast, particularly through the back part, which is known as ‘Acque Minerale’. It is important that the bike turns very well on the throttle on the crests coming over the hill and I think this is the case with our bike and engine. The brakes also play a big part there. They help to make the bike more stable.

I am confident that we can get a good result with our bike. If we can get everything sorted out for Superpole and qualify in the front or second row, I hope we can get some podiums during the run in at the end of the season.”


Bernhard Gobmeier, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director:
„The last race weekend at the Nürburgring showed that we are definitely on the right track. Leon was able to clock very good lap times in both wet and dry conditions. Towards the end of the race he was one of the fastest out there. Unfortunately he crashed out, otherwise there were definitely podium finishes in it – maybe even more. For that reason, what we saw at our home race puts us in a very positive frame of mind ahead of the run in.”

 
Background:
Imola is located in the Northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, about 40 kilometres south-east of Bologna. The town has a population of about 69,000. Motorsport has played an important role there since the 1940s. The first races in and around Imola were held on public roads. The foundations for the first racetrack were laid in 1950 and it was opened in 1952.

The circuit was originally called the „Autodromo Dino Ferrari“, named after Enzo Ferrari’s son, who died at an early age. When Enzo Ferrari died in 1988, it was renamed the „Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari“. The Motorcycle World Championship held its first race in Imola on 7th September 1967, while the FIM Superbike World Championship made its debut in Emilia-Romagna in 2001. In 2011 the series returns to Imola for the ninth time.

Following the deadly crashes that took the lives of Formula One drivers Ayrton Senna (BRA) and Roland Ratzenberger (AUT), the circuit was modified in 1994. The site was then the subject of extensive renovations in 2006, during which it was modified to meet the latest safety standards. What used to be the final chicane – the „Variante Bassa“ – was completely rebuilt. A long straight which veers slightly to the right now runs between „Rivazza“ and the „Tamburello“ corner. The layout of the circuit, which is negotiated in an anti-clockwise direction, is not the only thing to have been changed. A new pit lane building was erected, as well as a media centre and tower, which houses the race management team.

Imola is a real challenge for motorcycles, and not just as a result of the many bumps that are characteristic of this circuit. Imola also features several chicanes, the first of which comes straight after the start-finish straight. For this reason, the bike must be excellent when it comes to braking, steering into corners, and accelerating out of bends. Stability is also important, as almost every chicane is lined with kerbs, which unsettle the bike as the riders cut over them. At the same time, overtaking is very difficult in Imola. The rider must be very aggressive if he wants to move through the field during the race.]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:22:00 +0200 Leon Haslam will line up for BMW Motorrad Motorsport in 2012. http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/leon-haslam-startet-2012-fuer-bmw-motorrad-motorsport.html
Munich/Stephanskirchen, 10th September 2011. BMW Motorrad Motorsport have opted for continuity and... ]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:06:00 +0200 Superstock zu Gast in Deutschland http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/superstock-zu-gast-in-deutschland.html
7. Lauf der FIM Superstock 1000 – Nürburgring, Deutschland ]]> Immer beim in die Kurve fahren, ist mir das Hinterrad weggerutscht und somit musste ich immer einen viel zu großen Bogen fahren “, so Markus Reiterberger nach dem Rennen. Mit dem sechsten Rang am Nürburgring, schiebt sich Markus auf den achten Platz der Gesamtwertung vor Es verbleiben noch drei Veranstaltungen bis zum Meisterschaftsende, das nächste Rennen findet vom 23. – 25. September in Imola, Italien statt.]]> Racing Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:42:00 +0200 Nürburgring - Races http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/nuerburgring-rennen-1.html
Freaky weather at Nürburgring ]]> Sunday, 04 September 2011.     Weather conditions: Overcast at noon, heavy rain in the afternoon. Temperature: Air: 20 – 21 °C, Track: 25 – 29 °C Number of riders participating: 19 from 13 teams Fastest lap Race 1: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:55.971 min Fastest lap Race 2: Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) 2:14.6199 min   This race day at the Nürburging (GER) was not for the faint-hearted. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport experienced an exciting tenth round of the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship, including a hectic wet race. Factory rider, Leon Haslam (GBR), finished fifth and ninth on his BMW S 1000 RR. He is now fifth in the riders’ championship with 176 points. His team mate Troy Corser (AUS) came home in 15th and 12th respectively. In the championship he lies 15th with 67 points. In the manufacturers’ standings BMW is fourth with 214 points.   In race one Leon improved from seventh on the grid to fifth during the early laps, pushing to close the gap to the leading group. But on lap seven he ran off the track, re-joined but fell back to 14th. After this mishap, Leon fought his way back in a determined manner, setting extremely fast lap times and showing a series of strong manoeuvres. On lap 13 he overtook three other riders at once, and on the final lap he made it back to fifth. Troy improved from 17th on the grid to 11th, but experienced tyre issues in the second half of the race and finished 15th.   Only minutes before the start of the second race it began to rain heavily. The start had to be delayed by 15 minutes. Leon again gained two positions in the early stages, but unfortunately he was one of many riders who crashed in the worsening conditions. Again, Leon was able to rejoin and he started another fight back from the very end of the field. As the conditions became more and more dangerous and numerous riders fell, the race was red-flagged on lap 14. Leon and Troy were classified ninth and 12th. Ayrton Badovini (ITA) of the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team finished the heats ninth and seventh. His team mate James Toseland (GBR) was 13th in the first race, but crashed in the second. The races were won by Carlos Checa and Tom Sykes.   In the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup race BMW riders were once more successful, with three BMW S 1000 RRs finishing in the top six. Sylvain Barrier (FRA) from the BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team finished second on the podium. His team mate, Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA), crossed the line in fourth, Markus Reiterberger (GER) from the Garnier Alpha Racing Team completed the top six.   Leon Haslam: Result Race 1: 5th / Gap to 1st: 00:09.727 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:56.340 min Result Race 2: 9th / Gap to 1st: 00:53.586 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 2:16.672 min “In race one I had a good start and managed to pass two guys. Then I tried to bridge the gap to Eugene Laverty. I just pushed a little bit too hard, got a false neutral and ran off the track. To be fair, I thought the race was over. But I got my head down and managed to get back to fifth. I am happy to have managed that, but disappointed I ran off. But the battling was certainly fun. In the second race I felt really good. The crash was my fault. I clipped a white line, which in these conditions is not good, and I went down. I managed to get going again and climb all the way up to seventh, but the race was stopped before I crossed the line, the results were taken from the lap before, and so I was ninth. The conditions out there were really bad, and it probably should have been stopped earlier. I think I could have got on the podium today because my times at the end were really good, but it was definitely the right decision to stop the race.”   Troy Corser: Result Race 1: 15th / Gap to 1st: 00:33.320 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:56.919 min Result Race 2: 12th / Gap to 1st: 01:15.468 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 2:16.950 min “Today has been difficult for sure. The starting position we had made life very difficult, because the first corner tends to spread the field out and you just cannot make the time back. Race two was just so wet and I could hardly see what was going on. The rain was causing me to aquaplane everywhere and I was having some big slides. I saw James Toseland crash in front of me, and then I decided to just keep it upright and finish the best I could. It was the right decision to stop the race because it was becoming very hard to ride safely out there, but I am just happy to have brought it home and score some points.”   Bernhard Gobmeier (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director): “The first race was very exciting. We had Leon’s run-off that cost him a few seconds, and in the end he these seconds were exactly his gap to the top. On top of that comes the fact that in the closing stages he was doing the fastest lap times. That showed we are heading in a very good direction, and are able to race at the front. In the second race we proved we are also very strong in the wet. Also in these conditions we did top lap times, but the very bad vision and the extremely difficult conditions led to Leon’s crash that hindered us in getting a better result. Maybe it would have been a different story if the race had been stopped earlier and then restarted. To sum it up: No top result, but a positive summary – because we could see that we are definitely competing at the front.”]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:46:00 +0200 Nürburgring http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/nuerburgring-1.html
Qualifying 2 and Superpole ]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:36:00 +0200 Nürburgring http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/nuerburgring.html
Free Practice and Qualifying 1 ]]> Temperature: Air: 22 – 25 °C, Track: 25 – 37 °C
Number of riders participating: 20 from 13 teams
Fastest lap Free Practice: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:57.296 min
Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) 1:55.524 min


Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport has started its home round at Nürburgring (GER). The iconic track hosts the tenth round of the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship. Factory rider, Leon Haslam (GBR), finished the first Qualifying Practice in tenth position. His team mate, Troy Corser (AUS), lost track time in both of today’s sessions due to some technical issues and qualified provisionally 16th. James Toseland (GBR) and Ayrton Badovini (ITA) of the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team finished in 15th and 18th respectively.

Leon Haslam:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:58.368 min (P9)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:56.345 min (P10)
“It was a good day. I am not worried about the position. We were riding at the front for the whole session, and were in P1 and P2. We were really working on a base set up and I did not use the soft tyre, like a few of the other guys did. We have learned a lot of useful things for tomorrow. For sure we have some improvements to do, but 0.2 secs would have put me in the top five, so it is pretty close out there and I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

Troy Corser:
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:58.965 min (P16)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:56.782 min (P16)
“We had quite a few small technical issues in the practice and qualifying sessions and lost useful track time. In the morning we had a gearbox issue that made me swap to the other bike, which I was not going to ride that much. Because of this we lost the whole session. Then right at the end of the first Qualifying Practice we were able to work out quite a good set-up and I went quite a bit quicker. Anyway the gap to first place is not that big, and I am pretty confident that we can make a good step tomorrow.”

Rainer Bäumel (Head of Race Operations):
“With Troy we had some smaller technical issues and, due to this, we could not work through our programme as planned. We were missing two or three outings with him. Leon was with the front guys from the beginning on. Only in the end he could not improve his time. We will now analyse the data to improve for tomorrow. Overall we are very confident that we will have two strong races on Sunday.”]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:39:00 +0200 Nürburgring - Germany http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/nuerburgring-deutschland.html
Preview ]]>
After nine rounds of the season, Leon is fifth in the Riders’ Championship on 158 points, while Troy finds himself in 15th place on 62 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, in which only the manufacturer’s best result from each race counts, BMW is fourth on 194 points. In total, Leon and Troy have already scored 220 points for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport this season.

The team and both works riders have used the break to prepare for the final phase of the season. When the action gets underway at its home event at the Nürburgring, the team is hoping to continue the good form shown at the Silverstone (GBR) race weekend, where Leon narrowly missed out on a podium finish, crossing the line in fourth place.


Leon Haslam:
“I am looking forward to the Nürburgring. After a long break you are always quite keen to get back on the bike. The track has a lot of changes of directions. It is quite fast in places and has a lot of heavy braking, especially Turn 1.  Those are definitely the areas of the race track where it is important to have the right setup to get the best result.

The Nürburgring has always been a good circuit for me. Last year I was on the podium there. It is a circuit where good results are possible. And clearly this is the home race for BMW, so we will obviously try to come back strong after the break and to get back on the podium where we belong. At the last race weekend we just missed out on the podium, so it would be nice to get back there in Germany.”


Troy Corser:
“Last year we were doing quite well in the practice and the qualifying sessions at the Nürburgring. Unfortunately we then suffered a dip in the Superpole and ended up back on the fourth row. And then I got tangled up in a crash in the first race. But it is a track that I like.

The Nürburgring has a lot of history, and I always enjoy racing here. It has a very nice layout and is undulating. It also offers a lot of overtaking opportunities. As a result we generally have thrilling and spectacular races. I hope we can now get the bike sorted out to go and get a result.”


Bernhard Gobmeier, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director:
“After the long break from racing, we are pleased to get back to serious action – at our home event. As a German manufacturer, the races at the Nürburgring are obviously always a bit special. Then there is the fact that this iconic circuit is quite simply a fantastic racetrack, both in terms of its history and the unique layout.

Last year we made a very promising start to the race weekend in the Eifel Mountains. Troy clocked top times in all the practice and qualification sessions, but was then unlucky in the Superpole qualification and crashed. Otherwise, it would have been an extremely successful weekend for us. These positive aspects make us very optimistic that this circuit suits us and the BMW S 1000 RR. Furthermore, we took a big step forward at the last race weekend in Silverstone. We narrowly missed out on a podium finish there. We are confident we can continue this upward trend at our home races.”

 
Background:
The Nürburgring is located close to the town of Adenau in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) and is one of the most iconic racetracks in Europe. The Eifel circuit opened in 1927, since when it has regularly been the scene of motorsport history. Up until the 1970s, races were held on the 20-kilometre Nordschleife circuit, which has earned itself an infamous reputation and the nickname “Green Hell”. Even today, it remains a popular venue for automobile endurance races.

However, the Nordschleife became too dangerous for most race series. For this reason, the facility was given a complete makeover in the 1980s. In 1984, the 4.5-kilometre Grand Prix Circuit was inaugurated. Further modifications were made between 1999 and 2002. The FIM Superbike World Championship stages its races on this very Grand Prix Circuit. When the series made its first appearance in the Eifel, the circuit was 4.556 kilometres in length. Since 2008 it has been 5.137 kilometres. This season, the Superbike World Championship returns to the “Green Hell” for the sixth time.

The Nürburgring is an undulating track, which winds its way through the hilly Eifel landscape. The circuit boasts a number of fascinating combinations of corners, quick sections and areas that require heavy braking. In addition, there are many good overtaking opportunities. The riders enjoy the challenges posed by this circuit.

The very first corner, the “Yokohama-S”, is a challenge in itself: the riders brake extremely late and must get themselves in a good position for the following section, which includes corners that become tighter as the turn progresses. It is important to enter the curve well, in order to be able to accelerate on the way out. “Bit” is the most important corner on the circuit. Those who take it well carry sufficient speed into the following high-speed section. The “NGK” chicane is another point requiring heavy braking, before the track heads uphill towards the final bend.

One unpredictable factor at the Nürburgring is the weather, which can change abruptly. The sun can be shining one minute, before thundery showers and rain appear the next. As such, the temperature can fluctuate enormously. A telling proverb says: “If you cannot see the Nürburg, it is raining. If you can see the Nürburg, it is not raining yet, but it will soon.” The Nürburg castle sits on top of the hill above the town of the same name, close to the racetrack.]]> World Superbike (WSBK) Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:11:00 +0200 Zum ersten Mal im englischen Linksverkehr http://www.alpharacing.com/en/news/news-detail/article/zum-ersten-mal-im-englischen-linksverkehr.html
6. Lauf im FIM Superstock 1000cc Cup – Silverstone/England ]]> Racing Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:11:00 +0200