Successful outing for the BMW S 1000 RR racers in Aragón: Top five finish in the WorldSBK and a podium to start the Superstock season.

Munich (DE), 6th April 2016. The pinnacle of Superbike racing has kicked off its European season: Last weekend, the third round of the 2016 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) was held at MotorLand Aragón near Alcañiz in the north-east of Spain. The modern circuit also hosted the season opener of the 2016 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup (STK1000). In both championships, the BMW racers brought home strong results for the BMW S 1000 RR – another top five position in the WorldSBK and a podium in STK1000.

MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at Alcañiz, Spain.

After the two overseas rounds in Australia and Thailand, the WorldSBK paddock moved on to European soil. Last weekend, the BMW S 1000 RR racers tackled the third round of the season at MotorLand Aragón in Spain. This time, the BMW array was led by local hero Jordi Torres (ES) from the Althea BMW Racing Team. Torres claimed a strong seventh place in Saturday’s first race. In the second heat on Sunday afternoon, he put in a brilliant performance to finish fifth. In doing so, Torres scored his best result so far on the BMW S 1000 RR. His team-mate Markus Reiterberger (DE), who is contesting his first full season in the WorldSBK, had a difficult weekend. The young German crossed the line in 14th and 15th respectively.

The British Milwaukee BMW Team, which is debuting in the WorldSBK this season after many successful years in the British Superbike Championship (BSB), continues to get acquainted with the series and the RR. In Alcañiz both riders finished both races in the points. Joshua Brookes (AU) was 13th on both occasions, his team-mate Karel Abraham (CZ) was 15th and 14th respectively.

Alcañiz was also the venue for the WorldSBK debut of Matthieu Lussiana (FR): the winner of the 2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy competed with a wildcard on a Team ASPI BMW S 1000 RR. He finished the races in 17th and 18th respectively.

FIM Superstock 1000 Cup at Alcañiz, Spain.

The 2016 season in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup kicked off with a podium finish for the BMW S 1000 RR. Raffaele De Rosa (IT) from the Althea BMW Racing Team finished the first of a total of eight races to be held this year in a strong third. Starting from sixth on the grid, De Rosa soon improved to fourth. On the eighth and final lap, he overtook his rival Roberto Tamburini (IT) and secured third on the podium.

In total, three BMW racers finished within the points. Twenty-year old Maximilian Scheib (CL / Targobank EasyRace SBK Team), who competes in the FIM CEV Superbike European Championship (CEV) and started at Alcañiz with a wildcard, claimed a strong ninth place on his STK1000 debut. Team 2R Racing’s Luca Vitali (IT) crossed the line in 11th on his BMW S 1000 RR.

Both series will hold their next round from 15th to 17th April in Assen (NL).