With the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship campaign fast approaching, teams are starting to unveil their projects for the season. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad are the latest to do so after a stunning event in Madonna di Campiglio, in the stunning mountains. Reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista was joined by new teammate Nicolo Bulega at the launch, while key figures from both Ducati Corse and the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team spoke as they previewed the 2024 season.

“THE QUESTION MIGHT BE ‘HOW CAN YOU DO EVEN BETTER THIS SEASON’?” – lofty goals for Ducati

First up to speak was Ducati Corse CEO Claudio Domenicali, who previewed the upcoming WorldSBK campaign and outlined his goals for the year after Ducati’s year of success in 2023 when the Italian brand won both the MotoGP™ and WorldSBK Riders’ Championships. He said: “Ducati has a great history towards beauty and design; design’s always been a very important element but it’s even more important today. Beauty fills our hearts. We were Champions last year in MotoGP™ and WorldSBK. This is something unprecedented as no company has won MotoGP™ and WorldSBK two years in a row, so I think this is a goal that needs to be consolidated. The question might be ‘how can you do even better this season?’.”

“I’LL TRY TO BE EVEN BETTER THAN LAST SEASON”: can Bautista make it three in a row?

After winning the title in 2022 and 2023, Bautista will look to become only the third rider to win three consecutive Championships in WorldSBK should he take this year’s crown, with Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) the other. He will face stiff competition from his rivals as they look to stop his run of success, and he discussed this at the launch, as well as his new teammate and the challenges he will present to the Spaniard.

Bautista, who will use the #1 plate with three stars inside to mark his three World Championships, including his 125cc title, said: “This season will be a great challenge with so many changes compared to last year; last year we only changed the number! I switched from #19 to #1 but this year will be full of serious changes. My teammate this year is very young and strong, and he pushes a lot. When you have a young teammate, you know that person is hungry for victories. He wants to do his best. I’m extremely happy because he’s here with me. The regulations have changed compared to last year. Some changes are good for us, they will help us, but some other details are not so good for me. Some are about minimum weight, but we are trying to reach the same levels as last year. Every year is different from the previous one, and we will try to be as competitive as possible. When changes arrive, you have two ways to face them. You can feel defeated or disadvantaged or you can accept the challenge, take it on and do your best. I have picked the second option. I want to do my best. I’m happy about Nicolo’s arrival and this makes me feel more motivated. I will try to do my best and I’ll try to be even better than last season.”

“I’LL TRY TO STEAL SOME SECRETS FROM ALVARO…”: Bulega aiming to impress as a rookie

After storming to the 2023 WorldSSP title, Bulega secured a seat in the factory Ducati team alongside Bautista for 2024. At his first official team launch as a WorldSBK factory rider, the #11 spoke about having the reigning Champion as a teammate, experiencing the launch from inside the event and more. The Italian said: “Being here with these beautiful bikes is just amazing. Being here with incredible teammates is wonderful. This is a beautiful experience, seeing it from inside and outside. Last year, when I was called to join this presentation, I was extremely happy. I’m enjoying it and I’ll do my best. Having Alvaro with me in the team will be tough because he’s such a good racer. I’ll be suffering because Alvaro will be fast all the time, throughout the season. It’ll be my first year as an official rider, so I will have to learn so many things. Having Alvaro as a teammate will be paramount, will be crucial, for me. I’ll try to copy and paste, steal some secrets from him, to be faster. It’s an amazing motorcycle. In my opinion, this new livery is amazing. Last year, it was already beautiful, but this is even better.”

CECONNI’S THOUGHTS: what does the Team Principal expect from 2024?

The event was rounded out by Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Team Principal, Stefano Cecconi, giving his thoughts on the upcoming season. Speaking about rookie Bulega, he stated: “Nicolo was not a bet or a challenge because we relied on him for the WorldSSP project. We were aware we’d found a magical combination because he’s very young, but he has a lot of experience. We needed someone like him, and he proved to be great during the first year. During the second year, when we reached our goal.”

Cecconi then went on to discuss Bautista’s goal for the year, as he joked: “I’d like to see if Alvaro’s going to win the biggest challenge. Asking him to win the third Championship wasn’t very original, so I asked him to gain weight! After his injuries in the Jerez test, I asked him to gain weight and he told me he’d try.”

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The reigning Champions have become the latest team to unveil their colours for the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship campaign. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad will look to make it three Riders’ Championships in a row with Alvaro Bautista, while Nicolo Bulega is promoted from their WorldSSP outfit for his maiden WorldSBK campaign. With the covers removed from the Panigale V4 R, a similar livery to 2023 was unveiled, featuring the iconic ‘Ducati red’ as its base colour. Check out the full incredible pictures of the 2024 bike in the gallery at the top of this article!

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Source: WorldSBK.com

2023 was, statistically speaking, Garrett Gerloff’s (Bonovo Action BMW) worst season in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, finishing outside of the top 11 for the first time in his career and without a podium to his name – and yet, those numbers and the feeling at the end of the year couldn’t have been more diametrically opposed.

Because as much as statistics can tell one story, they can tell another: that of a rider who ended the year as the standout BMW rider, with multiple top-5 finishes in the final third of the season and with a pole position to his name (the first for an American rider in 12 years). In a relatively unremarkable year for BMW, Gerloff, the most inexperienced rider of their 2023 quartet in terms of BMW machinery, was in fact quietly impressive.

Flashforward to 2024, and after a long break back home in Texas – “I needed it after all the racing last year” – Gerloff is eager to carry that momentum into the new season.

“I was really happy with all the progress we made, especially the last half of the year”, said Gerloff at the BMW launch event in Berlin. “To finally get close to the podium and to get a pole position was amazing. I have high hopes for this year. I really think that with the same team, with the same awesome guys that I’ve been working with, we can make another step forward. With Toprak being here, and the other guys, Michael and Scott, we have a really strong rider line-up, and a lot of data to pool from to improve these M 1000 RRs a lot”.

THE NEXT STEP FORWARD: “Toprak is obviously a guy that people listen to”

After a year spent gradually getting to grips with the M 1000 RR throughout last year – following five years on a Yamaha R1, split between Motoamerica and WorldSBK – Gerloff is now in a more comfortable position to speak about the strengths of the package and where resources can be pooled into going in forward.

“We’re not struggling for power, that’s one thing this bike does really well. The front end also feels really good to me. I feel like just a little bit of electronic stuff. Engine braking could be a bit more consistent and a bit smoother. Maybe a bit on the TC [traction control] side, but not a lot. That’s what I’m saying. We’re not missing a lot, but if you’re missing two tenths a lap, that’s two seconds at the end of the race; it’s all about those last ‘nths’ of a degree. We’re a lot closer than we were at the beginning of last year”.

It’s one area where Gerloff believes the arrival of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) can have a positive influence on the entire project: “I think he can bring a lot of direction. He’s obviously a guy that people listen to. For the engineers, if we can all be on the same page as riders, I feel like it can steer the ship of the project”.

Should everything line up properly, Gerloff’s target is clear: the one glaring omission from his 2023 results: “I want a damn podium, bad! I got close last year but no cigar. A podium would be super nice. That pole position also tasted super good, so a few more of those wouldn’t be bad, but it’s going to be tough, not gonna lie”.

GALINSKI’S GOAL: “We hope for a big battle with Scott”

Bonovo Action BMW Team Principal Michael Galinski, after the satisfactory end to the season, is also setting a high bar for Gerloff in the new year: “Garrett is really good. He came from up from being down and he got really good results. I hope he can start in the same way he finished last year. We hope for a big battle with Scott and we expect him to be in the top five”.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The first person to talk up the possibility of a move to BMW in the early months of 2023, Kenan Sofuoglu’s confidence in the project has far from waned in the months that followed. If anything, seeing all the pieces fall into place may have only emboldened the 5-time WorldSSP Champion that little bit more.

With just five days remaining until Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) takes to the track for his first test of 2024 – the first time that he’ll square up the M 1000 RR to the rest of the grid, including perennial rivals Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) – the manager and mentor to the Turkish star has been encouraged by what he’s seen so far. A long road lays ahead, but the anticipation is palpable.

“When I see in this place how excited everybody is, how they can’t wait to start the season, I think that’s what we need”, said Sofuoglu at the BMW launch event in Berlin, last Wednesday. “I believe that we needed this, especially from Toprak’s side. We had four great seasons with Yamaha, but Toprak needed a new challenge”.

Everyone involved in the project – BMW management and Razgatlioglu himself – has spoken highly of the 27-year-old’s first contact with the bike back in December. Unsurprisingly, for Sofuoglu: “Toprak is a young and fresh boy. Whatever bike he sits on, I believe he will adapt to it. The BMW is a very different bike, and many people have some ideas about BMW. We have a different idea about BMW”.

“We believe we will be even stronger on this bike. We believe we will give a hard time to Bautista with this bike, he’s been very strong these last two seasons. I think BMW is the one that can beat Ducati; maybe not immediately, but in the end, I believe we can be Champions with BMW”.

TARGETING THE TOP: podiums from Day 1, the Championship over two years

Sofuoglu – a multiple World Champion with two different manufacturers in the WorldSSP class – is well aware of some of the difficulties that Toprak may find in the early stages on the M 1000 RR, and how those speed bumps can affect a title challenge. Even when stating short-term targets, Sofuoglu is clear that the long-term goal is over two years.

“From the first day we did a two-year contract because of that. The first year can be difficult, we expect this. This doesn’t mean we will be off the podium; I believe Toprak will be always fighting for the podium, at least. It’s like with the Yamaha, we were on the podium every race.

“Winning is a little bit difficult. We know why. Bautista is very strong. When we were on the Yamaha, it was very difficult to beat Bautista for the win. But personally, I believe in Toprak more than everyone. For that reason, I believe Toprak will surprise everyone. He’ll start with a podium… It can also be a win”.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Is third time the charm? After landing on BMW machinery back in late 2021 and following two seasons of mixed progress, Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) will certainly be hoping that saying rings true, as we approach the start of the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.

The 31-year-old moves to the Bonovo Action BMW squad this season after two years under the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team banner. Different faces, same machinery, with BMW providing factory support to all four riders contracted for the 2024 season. But that one small change could make a world of difference.

“The team is great”, Redding is quick to point out, minutes after the official launch of both BMW teams in Berlin. “Very welcoming, very family orientated. It feels old-school style, and that’s something that I really cherish, I enjoy having that around me. I’ll be more relaxed, more happy”.

TWO STEPS FORWARD: “We need to try and make up for the last years”

That positive first encounter is already helping Redding to put a frustrating 2023 season behind him. From an uneven first year on the M 1000 RR which nonetheless saw the English rider finish on the podium at three separate racetracks, to just two top-five finishes in all last year – an uncharacteristic drop in results which Redding himself wants to amend for.

“It’s pretty bad. There’s only been like two years in my career that I didn’t get a podium. It upset me a lot last year, to not achieve that goal, but it happens. We were working, we were developing the bike, we were doing the best we could. I think this year we need to try and double up on it, to make up for the last years. With a few of the rule changes and the development we’ve done here, there is potential”.

Redding is confident that those regulation tweaks, including new rider weight-limit rules and a reduction of the fuel tank size (from 24 litres to 21), could help to push results in the right direction. But he is equally clear on some of the improvements that also need to be applied on the M 1000 RR package.

“It’s just many little things, there’s not like one big thing. Okay, we miss rear edge grip, we know it’s clear, it’s something we’re always working on. If we can improve that, it’s already a good step. But then it’s finetuning: electronics, position, suspension… There’s a lot of things that we just need to get perfect, and then we can be more competitive”.

TARGETS: Redding and Galinski agree on top-5 potential

With these small adjustments and the extra involvement from BMW in the months preceding the 2024 season, Redding is optimistic regarding their targets for the new season: “I would like to be top five, top six in the championship, and I’d like to be on the podium more regularly. If I get a race win, I’ll be ecstatic, but we need a couple of podiums, that’s the goal”.

Team Principal Michael Galinski, also speaking at the event, agrees on this goal for the 12-time WorldSBK race winner: “I hope that with the more familiar team that we have, he can show his potential, what everybody knows he has. We want to go with him in the top five. I know the championship is very strong now, with some new riders. Top five is what we can do with him, and he’s dreaming of a lot of podiums”.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

As anticipation grows around BMW for the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, with the arrival of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) consolidating one of the most talented rider line-ups in the series, the question remains on many onlookers’ minds: how much (and how) can BMW improve in 2024?

The manufacturer finished fourth out of five in the 2023 standings and without a podium to their name, and progress since the factory team’s arrival in 2019 has often been relatively short-lived; and yet, many members of the paddock have spoken highly about the ceiling of the M 1000 RR, double Champion Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) amongst them.

WorldSBK.com spoke with BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers and Technical Director Christian Gonschor at the recent BMW launch event in Berlin to get an idea of where the project is leading to next, and what Toprak Razgatlioglu’s arrival has already contributed to their direction for 2024.

BONGERS: “Toprak denied all these question marks”

Speaking first, Bongers lauded the rider line-up – “the strongest we’ve ever had” – before sharing his insight into where improvements will be coming from in the first stages of 2024.

“The bike has a couple of technical updates. We have reworked the aerodynamics of the bike from 2023 to 2024. Then, in terms of the chassis, we will hit the road with a revised swingarm. Engine-wise, we’ll have a small update, an evolution rather than an evolution, but every little bit helps and in this very competitive Championship, you need that. And actually, on the electronic side, this is a constant process of updating in every area, as well as adapting to riders and new riders.

Intriguingly, Razgatlioglu’s first steps on the bike back in December seemed to dismiss some of the most common criticisms that had been shared about the M 1000 RR, according to Bongers: “After all the question marks in the press, or world the outside of BMW, where people would say: ‘is that the right choice for Toprak? They have their own electronics, the bike doesn’t seem to turn very well, braking’… When Toprak came back with his first comments, he basically denied all these question marks. The bike stops, the bike turns, the bike brakes, the bike accelerates.

“That gave me a positive feeling, but again, we have tests in front of us with the competitors and it will be our first real reference to see where we’re at. We still have to work and as he said himself before, he needs some more time because we didn’t have very efficient test time in December”.

GONSCHOR: “The test team will help”

Speaking for the first time with WorldSBK.com since his appointment as BMW Motorrad Motorsport Technical Director in July of 2023, Christian Gonschor has been hard at work since then with the expansion of the project for this 2024 season. This being his first pre-season in the role, there has been no shortage of work for the BMW engineers and technicians.

“We will definitely work on every item”, confirms Gonschor. “We are always working on the engine, we are working on the chassis, on the electronic side and also slightly on the aerodynamics. To get where we want to be, you have to get the maximum out of every quarter of the bike, it’s a complex thing. You cannot say one thing is good and the other thing is bad, everything interacts.

“For example, let’s say the electronics, very important these days for every kind of racing. There we can individualise a lot each rider’s base. We can concentrate on electronics, but this an ongoing, day-by-day development. The engine, the chassis, the swingarm… It’s a long-term story. We’re always looking for more rear grip, it’s obvious we’re working on the rear end, like everybody. Electronic work is daily work you need to do. It’s good to have a lot of people in Munich working on this.

BMW will field four riders on race weekends, but one of the big stories coming into the new season is the creation of a two-rider test team to guide the development of the M 1000 RR, with Sylvain Guintoli – 2014 WorldSBK Champion and former Suzuki test rider in MotoGP™ – and Bradley Smith on permanent testing duties. For Gonschor, this could be a key to unlocking the full potential of the package.

“The agenda for the test team is quite simple. We want to concentrate on the development and verification of new solutions, and the race teams should concentrate on the race weekends. There are limited tests for the riders so they need to focus on their own individual solution. The test team can do the work from January to December for all four riders”.

As for his own first impressions on Toprak, Gonschor’s optimism matches that of Bongers: “Every rider brings new data, new skills, new questions. With his unique riding style, with the front end of the bike, we can learn a lot about corner entry, which we were already quite good at.

“I think everybody saw some pictures of the test and they looked quite similar to what he was doing in the past. So, you can imagine that a smile was on his face”.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

“My level of excitement? Of course, it’s a 10!”. It’s little surprise that Shaun Muir, Team Principal of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, is looking forward to the season ahead. The signing of Toprak Razgatlioglu, together with the increased development efforts coming from BMW, would point towards the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship being the most successful one so far for the team that took over the works BMW project in late 2018.

Yet, the increased attention and increased potential do not seem to have brought along with them any additional pressure to perform. If anything, the experiences of the past few seasons – the highs, the disappointments, the arrivals, and departures – may just fuel the motivation for the upcoming year.

“Surprisingly, the pressure isn’t higher than ever”, confirms Muir, speaking at the BMW launch event in Berlin. “We felt pressure for quite a long time, when we signed Scott [Redding] into the team, and previously with Tom [Sykes]. I think everybody realizes now that the project’s gained so much momentum, with four riders on equal machinery, a fantastic test support behind us, it’s our time to start delivering and there’s absolutely no excuses”.

EXPECTATIONS: “We feel that Toprak can be on the podium very quickly”

Higher support should, on paper, equate to a higher ceiling – but by how much? With a WorldSBK Champion and two-time runner-up now in the garage, the expectation is to find an immediate step.

“Toprak brings a certain amount of quality to the team that we’ve been lacking in the past”, his team principal admits. “If you were to ask the question to Toprak, he’d be expecting to be on the podium very quicky, and I think we echo that. As a group, as a team, the whole project from the test team right through to our ROKiT BMW team, we feel that Toprak can be on the podium very quickly.

“And I’ve said it in the past and I’ll say it again now: if you are close to the podium, you’re close to the win. Where will that leave us in Championship terms? I’m not sure. But I think the first three races in the Championship this year will define our season”.

FOURTH YEAR WITH VDM: “Mikey knows he has to deliver”

The other side of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team garage will feature the longest-running BMW rider out of the four-strong field. Michael van der Mark faces his fourth season as a factory BMW rider, and with the last two injury-riddled campaigns now firmly behind him, the focus is on getting him back to his best.

“When you look back at it, Mikey has missed probably 2.5 seasons with the injuries he’s sustained”, says Muir. “I think it’s a massive boost for him to remain in our team. We know he’s worked with Toprak in the past. The expectation from Mikey is that he wants to be following Toprak over the line, I think he seriously believes he can be right there.

“I think he fully deserves his place in the team. Of course, it’s contract year for him, so he really knows he has to deliver. Hopefully he has a good pre-season, he can put those injuries behind him. I see no reason why Michael can’t be right up there in the top six of the Championship”.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

When Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) landed in BMW in the winter of 2020, it didn’t take long for the Dutchman to leave his mark. A first win in eight years for the manufacturer arrived in September of 2021, and van der Mark finished the season 6^th overall in the standings, the best result for a BMW rider since 2013.

That encouraging start should have led to greater things in the following years. Alas, a pre-season injury in 2022, followed by two more lengthy spells on the sidelines spread across the following 18 months, derailed the momentum the pairing had and perhaps even played a part in the overall weakening of the project, with BMW’s most experienced rider unable to be fully involved in the development of the new M 1000 RR.

Returning to full fitness in the final third of 2023, and with some impressive pace in the final two rounds of the season, the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship could signal the return of Michael van der Mark at his best. Speaking at the BMW launch in Berlin, the 31-year-old has certainly not lost his confidence.

“I’m fully fit again, I’m ready to race”, confirms van der Mark. “I think we all have one goal in BMW, and that’s to win. So, I’m trying really hard, and BMW is pushing really hard. I have a lot of confidence in the project. Signing Toprak, changing a lot of things inside… I have a lot of confidence we’ll get there”.

The signing of Toprak Razgatlioglu – reuniting the Pata Yamaha duo from back in 2020 – has also helped to reinvigorate many people inside BMW, no less than the riders themselves. Van der Mark was able to witness first-hand what the Turkish rider could bring to the table in his first season with the R1, four years ago.

“Honestly, I think Toprak is the rider with the most talent in the whole field. His style is different from everyone else. He’s really strong on the brakes, so that’s something we can learn a lot from. And he’s a fast rider, you can always learn from a fast rider. I think everyone’s really motivated that he wanted to join this project”.

Does the extra attention, and the extra investment from BMW’s side – including the creation of a test team with former teammate Sylvain Guintoli and ex-MotoGP™ rider Bradley Smith – bring with it extra pressure? Not according to van der Mark.

“I don’t feel pressure. I love to see that they’re putting a lot of effort in, more and more. It gives me more confidence. The confidence from seeing them pushing that hard, I think it will make me faster as well”.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

BMW’s most ambitious project in MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship history is now officially underway. The German manufacturer has become the first factory to formally launch its 2024 season, with all four riders present at its Berlin headquarters to unveil the updated look of both the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and the Bonovo Action BMW team. With star signing, 2021 WorldSBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu at the helm, a thrilling and intriguing new chapter opens ahead.

With Razgatlioglu, teammate Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), and fellow BMW riders Garrett Gerloff and Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) all in attendance, as well as both team principals and BMW Motorsport top brass, a busy day at BMW Motorrad Welt – which included a full factory tour and autograph signings – concluded with the anticipated uncovering of all four 2024 M 1000 RRs in their respective updated liveries.

TOPRAK SPEAKS: “I was smiling the first time I tested the bike on the straight”

Taking part in his first public day in BMW colours, after several rain-afflicted test days back in December, Razgatlioglu is already eager to get back on the M 1000 RR and continue to find the limits of the package, with tests scheduled at Jerez and Portimao in the upcoming two weeks.

“Next week’s test will be very important, because I’ll see all the riders there”, commented the 2021 WorldSBK Champion. “I only rode alone, I didn’t see other Superbike riders, I need some riders, some fighting, to see the lap times. We’ll see, but I’m very positive and very happy”.

The Turkish rider also spoke highly of his first contact with the package: “The first time I rode the bike, I was smiling on the straight. In general, the bike is really good, the engine brake is unbelievable. There are just some areas that need improving for my style”.

POSITIVE OUTLOOK: van der Mark, Redding and Gerloff share their thoughts

Toprak’s teammate in 2024, Michael van der Mark – reuniting the partnership that brought much success to the Pata Yamaha team in 2020 – is equally excited by the steps the project can make, particularly after two consecutive seasons derailed by several injuries: “I’m fit, I’m ready to race. We all have one goal in BMW, and that’s to win. In Phillip Island we’ll see where we are, but I have a lot of confidence in the project. Signing Toprak, changing a lot of things… It’ll push the bike a lot better.”

Over on the Bonovo Action BMW side of things, the outlook is just as, if not more positive, with both riders commenting positively on the potential of the project.

“The team is great, very welcoming, very family orientated”, admits newcomer Scott Redding. “I feel like it’s old-school style, and that’s something that I really cherish. I will be more relaxed, happier. I would like to be top 5, top 6 in the Championship, minimum. And to be on the podium more regularly, that’s what I’d be happy with. If I get a race win, I’ll be ecstatic, but we need a couple of podiums, that’s the goal”.

Garrett Gerloff, who finished the 2023 season with several impressive results and as the top BMW rider, also sees room for progress: “I have high hopes for this year. I really think that with the same team going into everything, the same awesome guys I’ve been working with, we can really make another step forward. With Toprak here, Michael and Scott, we have a really strong line-up, a lot of data to pool from to improve these M 1000 RRs.”

HIGH AMBITIONS: the targets of the team leaders

The sentiment is also shared by the management side of the BMW WorldSBK project, with both team principals setting high targets for their respective representatives.

“If you asked Toprak, he would be expecting to be on the podium very quickly, and I think we echo that”, said ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team Principal Shaun Muir at the event. “And I’ve said it in the past: if you’re close to the podium, you’re close to the win. Where that will leave us in Championship terms, I’m not sure, but I think the first three races of the Championship this year will define our season”. Regarding van der Mark, Muir is confident that the 2014 WorldSSP Champion can bounce back after two difficult years: “I see no reason why Michael can’t be right up there in the top six of the Championship”.

Bonovo Action BMW Team Principal Michael Galinski was equally positive about his riders chances, claiming that the goal for both his riders in to be in the “top 5” this season. “The spirit is high. I’m very happy we have Scott, I hope in a more family team that we have he can show his potential, what everybody knows he has. Garrett got some really good results. I hope he can start where he finished”.

Where is the limit for this new step in the BMW project? Get the first answers in a week’s time when testing resumes in Jerez, with highlights, all the reactions and more available with WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The first factory team launch of the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship also saw the official presentation of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) as a BMW rider, after four years in Yamaha blue. An intriguing move which has lifted the spirits in the BMW camp, refueled the Turkish rider’s ambition for the new season, and added a huge question mark on the year ahead.

A SUCCESFUL FIRST CONTACT: Toprak dives into the December tests

Taking part in his first public event as a BMW rider, it quickly becomes clear that what Razgatlioglu is truly looking forward to is exactly one week away. Testing resumes at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto on the 24^th of January, and after a first contact with the M 1000 RR back in December in Portimao, Jerez and Valencia, the 27-year-old, now starting his seventh year in the class, is fully focused.

“I’m always ready”, confirmed Toprak after the livery for his 2024 bike was unveiled. “I did three days of testing, but none were fully dry sessions. Now I’m just waiting for next week, I miss my new bike”.

First impressions, even with the shortened sessions, were positive: “In Portimao, the first time I rode the bike, I was smiling on the straight, because the bike is very fast. We need to just improve some things, but we are not far. We need more laps; we need more kilometers”.

Getting slightly more into detail in terms of the positives and the negatives of the package, Toprak echoed some of the comments previously made by fellow BMW riders. “The electronics, exactly [when prompted on where to improve]. In general, the bike is very good. Especially, the engine brake is unbelievable, the bike is stopping. We just need to improve in some areas, for my style”.

THE QUESTION MARK: how far can the M 1000 RR go?

But perhaps the biggest missing piece to the puzzle is a reference. The December tests took place mostly in track days or with uneven weather. The expectation is for Jerez to paint a bigger picture. “Next week’s test will be very important, because I’ll see all the riders there”, admits Toprak. “I only rode alone, I didn’t see other Superbike riders, I need some riders, some fighting, to see the lap times”.

Razgatlioglu is cautious with his predictions for the season opener, scheduled for the end of February in Australia: “The first race is a little bit difficult. Phillip Island is always a hard race because you need to keep your rear tyre. We’ll see”.

Yet, looking into the future, that caution morphs into a more optimistic outlook, based on what he’s seen so far. “BMW are working every day. This is good. When I see BMW working, I work even more. And if we work like this, I think we can be World Champions. I don’t know if this year or next year, but I believe this, we are not far”.

Follow all the action from next week’s Jerez test, with Razgatlioglu on the BMW, Rea on the Yamaha and Bautista back on his Championship-winning Ducati, thanks to WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com