11.5.2019 Imola. The Saturday race of the FIM the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) in Imola (ITA) ended with a Top-10 ranking for the BMW motorcycle WorldSBK Team.
Markus Reiterberger (GER) reached the finish line on his BMW S 1000 RR in tenth place. Team-mate Tom Sykes (GBR) had to give up in the tenth of 19 laps in third place due to a technical defect. Imola hosts the fifth round of the WorldSBK season in 2019.
In the super pole qualifying session in the morning, both drivers of the BMW motorcycle WorldSBK Teams had secured a good starting position for the first race. Sykes put his RR on the launch site six, direct-Berger followed by rider in seventh Position.
After a very good Start Sykes stood up in the Middle of a promising rank three, with a good lead on his pursuers. Then the British had to control prematurely to the Box. Tab Berger dropped back at the Start in 13th place and remained in that Position, before he collected in the final phase of the re-positions and in the Top 10 returned.
Quotes after race one in Imola
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “The day has begun with the super pole qualifying session quite well for us. Especially Markus has shown with place seven, that he has made since Training yesterday, a major step forward. In the race, Tom had a great Start, and alone in third place, lying down, he was able to exploit the potential of the RR very well. But, unfortunately, a Problem with the power control was then, so Tom was not able to put this Performance in the result. We are now going to analyse exactly how it could come to this Problem. Markus fell, unfortunately, in the turmoil of the take-offs and stuck first in the back of the field. Thus, the race was difficult, but he has fought back to the front and with space for ten other important points. Overall, we have seen that we are placed here in Imola, and we want to build tomorrow in the super pole Race and in the second run. However, we will according to the current forecasts the weather in front of new challenges.“
Shaun Muir, team Manager BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Tom’s failure was really bad. It was the fifth weekend in our first year in WorldSBK with this project, and the new RR, and we not only fight for the Podium, we are on the Podium. A small Problem means the early retirement for him. I am very sorry for Tom and all on his side of the Garage, because they work really hard. You have made a wise choice of tyres which worked very well, he had a great Start, and his prospects were fine. We must build on that now and make us stronger. Markus, unfortunately, had a difficult race, but we have again collected important data. Tomorrow we go from the same start position to the super pole-race and will see what we can achieve.“
Markus Reiterberger: “I am very glad that we were able to improve from yesterday to today a lot. In the super pole, we have made a start place seven a good Job. It was a great pity that I lost at the Start or in the first curves of some of the items. I was stuck quite long (Michael Ruben) Rinaldi. I was faster, but came back. In the end, I was able to overtake but a few other drivers and I came in the Top 10. It was not quite the result we had hoped for, but I’m confident that I’ll be back in the music. Currently, we still have a few difficulties, but we are working hard, and I am my Team are very thankful for that. Tomorrow is a new day with a new Chance. I hope that we can make in the Warm-up, once again, a big step. Of course, we have to see how the weather develops, but I think we can do a good Job. The potential is definitely there.“
To say Tom Sykes: “I am disappointed would be an understatement. We have worked the whole weekend so hard and the BMW improved the S 1000 RR in some areas is even a lot more. We had a great Start and were in a good Position, as I got, unfortunately, a Problem with the Bike. Today we had the Pace, we also had a bit of luck that Chaz (Davies) was not in the race, and we had a Top-3 Position in point of view. The cushion to the back what is good, and I’ve found a good rhythm. The lap times were very consistent. It just seems that we have at the Moment a bit of bad luck. Hopefully we can catch up tomorrow a better day.“
11 May 2019. Imola (ITA). BMW Motorrad Motorsport. FIM Superbike World Championship. BMW motorcycle WorldSBK Team, the BMW S 1000 RR, Markus Reiter Berger #28 (GER).
