WorldSBK: BMW Motorrad Motorsport uses Aragón for intensive development work.

Alcañiz. Productive work in scorching summer temperatures characterised the sixth round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) for BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. At MotorLand Aragón (ESP), the team was forced to compete without both regular riders due to injury. Miguel Oliveira (POR) sustained shoulder injuries during the race weekend in Hungary, while Danilo Petrucci (ITA) suffered a fractured coccyx two weeks ago in Most (CZE). As a result, BMW Motorrad factory riders from the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC), Michael van der Mark (NED) and Hannes Soomer (EST), took over riding duties on the team's BMW M 1000 RRs.

Oliveira’s recovery process is progressing very well, and the Portuguese rider used the race weekend to support the team on site and exchange information with the engineers. Petrucci remains under treatment in his home country of Italy and is also reporting steady progress. However, it is still unclear what the situation will be for the next WorldSBK round in two weeks’ time at Misano (ITA).

The focus at MotorLand Aragón this weekend was on development work for the second half of the 2026 WorldSBK season. Van der Mark, after five years as a BMW WorldSBK rider and now serving both as an FIM EWC rider and test rider for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team, and Soomer gathered valuable data and information to further optimise the bike’s setup. The progress was reflected in the lap times: for the first time, van der Mark lapped the circuit in under 1:48 minutes, confirming the positive development throughout the weekend. Seventh place in Superpole qualifying provided a solid foundation for the races for van der Mark. He finished 11th in both race one and the Superpole race, before securing a top-ten finish with tenth place in race two.

Soomer also adapted quickly to both the team and the WorldSBK-spec BMW M 1000 RR, contributing solid testing work. After qualifying 18th in Superpole, the Estonian retired from race one following an unfortunate crash. He finished 15th in the Superpole Race. In Race Two, he had another small crash, but was able to remount and take the chequered flag in 18th position.

Van der Mark and Soomer will already be back in action next weekend at the second round of the FIM EWC season, the 8 Hours of Spa Motos at Spa-Francorchamps (BEL).

Reactions after the MotorLand Aragón round.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Of course, it was a somewhat unusual weekend for us, but we made the best of the situation. Our objective here was not to fight for the podium – for us, this was a test under race conditions. The three days with two riders on track were extremely important for our preparation for the second half of the season. Mickey did a very good job once again, just as he did in Most, and extracted the maximum from the package in every race. It was great to see him consistently improve on his previous best lap times at this circuit throughout the weekend. That shows we have taken another step forward with the overall package. In addition, he scored valuable points for us in the championship standings. Hannes was also a great asset. His previous WorldSBK appearances were several years ago, but he integrated himself into the team with great commitment and contributed valuable development work, although he unfortunately suffered unlucky crashes in both feature races. We also had fantastic support in the garage this weekend. It was great to have Miguel with us and to see how much better his shoulder is already feeling. We are also in close contact with Danilo, who is likewise reporting steady progress in his recovery. We will wait and see how things develop over the coming week before deciding on our line-up for Misano. Naturally, we want to see both of our regular riders back on the BMW M 1000 RRs as soon as possible, but the top priority is that they return only when they are fully fit. That is more important than any premature comeback.”

Miguel Oliveira, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It’s not easy to be on the outside, but I felt it was a good moment for me to come and show up for my crew. It’s been a couple of tough weekends not having both me and Danilo, so I thought it could be a good opportunity to be here, to show that I’m doing well, and to give them a little boost. My recovery has been progressing quite well and quite fast – not to the point where I can come here and ride, but I definitely feel more ready than I did last week. Last week we started doing some exercises with elastic bands and tried to get some mobility back in the shoulder. That’s where we’re at, and hopefully within two weeks I’ll be fit enough to get back on the bike and compete. I think it’s realistic to think about Misano. I don’t know what condition I’ll be in when I get there, but that’s definitely the main target.”

Michael van der Mark, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Aragón is done, and I think it ended on a positive note. On Friday we started with some issues, but luckily we solved them and made good progress. Honestly, I’ve been very happy with my Superpole this weekend. In race one, we made the wrong decision with the front tyre, but we still scored some decent points. On Sunday in the sprint race, I couldn’t keep the pace of the group in front of me, which was a shame, but it was still quite a good race. For race two, we made a small change on the bike and I felt much better. It wasn’t enough to stay with the guys in front, but we made a big step in regards to pace. So I’m really happy with the race, and we had a good weekend without any mistakes. It was also nice to see Miguel back in the box, helping us and giving some advice. It was good to have him here, and I can’t wait to see him back on the bike again. Now Spa is coming, so there aren’t many days off, but I’m enjoying it. I’m looking forward to Spa, and hopefully we can get back on the podium there.”

Hannes Soomer, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It was an interesting weekend. It was my first time in the World Superbike paddock as a factory rider, so there was a lot to learn and a lot to take in, but I enjoyed it. Sunday’s Superpole race wasn’t too bad. I finished 15th, but in the second race I had another crash. It was just a small mistake again – I couldn’t save it. Luckily, I could at least finish after that. So I finished two races and didn’t finish one. But, overall, it was an enjoyable time. I loved working with the team and the bike, and I hope to have another chance in the future. But I also hope the chance doesn’t come because somebody is injured, so best wishes to Miguel and Danilo.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 25°, track temperature: 39°, humidity: 46%, conditions: dry.

* New all-time lap record

Race 1.

Air temperature: 30°, track temperature: 48°, humidity: 36%, conditions: dry, laps: 18.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 5, 1:48.681

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 23°, track temperature: 37°, humidity: 51%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 10, 1:47.709 (new record)

Race 2.

Air temperature: 30°, track temperature: 49°, humidity: 38%, conditions: dry, laps: 18.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 7, 1:48.971

Current riders’ classification (R06/12, after 18 of 36 races).

Current manufacturers’ classification (R06/12, after 18 of 36 races).