BMW racer Reiterberger is crowned champion in SUPERBIKE*IDM

Wins and podiums for the BMW S 1000 RR at the Ulster Grand Prix

The first title win of the year for a BMW Motorrad racer has arrived: Markus Reiterberger (DE) was crowned 2015 champion in the International German Championship SUPERBIKE*IDM (IDM) last weekend.

At the penultimate round in Assen (NL) he won both races on his BMW S 1000 RR. The BMW riders have also been successful at the prestigious Ulster Grand Prix in Northern Ireland: Lee Johnston (GB) and Peter Hickman (GB) were victorious on their RRs.

There were also several podiums for the BMW road racers and a top-six-shut-out in the Superstock race. Wins and podiums also went to the BMW riders at the penultimate round of the Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship (AARR) at the Hungaroring (HU).

2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy

With his brace of wins in Assen (NL) Markus Reiterberger (DE / IDM SBK) remained in the lead of the 2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy, now with 299.52 Race Trophy points. Roland Resch (AT), who claimed a runner-up position in the Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship (AARR) at the Hungaroring (HU), improved to second with 292.36 points. Matthieu Lussiana (FR / MT1GP STK GP) is currently third with 254.07 points. (see full standings below).

SUPERBIKE*IDM in Assen, the Netherlands

The early title win for Markus Reiterberger (DE) in the 2015 International German Championship SUPERBIKE*IDM (IDM) is perfect: the Van Zon-Remeha-BMW rider bagged another brace of wins at the penultimate round at Assen (NL) last weekend and was crowned champion with two more races to go.

Reiterberger is leading the highest category, the Superbike class (IDM SBK), now with 335 points and an advantage of 76 points over his closest rival. In the 14 races contested so far this season, Reiterberger has claimed 11 victories – including four double-wins – and three second places on his BMW S 1000 RR.

Despite the fact that he had to load an extra seven kilograms of success ballast onto his RR, Reiterberger continued his successful streak at Assen, setting a new IDM lap record, claiming pole-position and winning both races.

His team-mate Bastien Mackels (BE), who had a heavy crash at the previous round in Schleizer Dreieck (DE), was still suffering some pain from his injuries. But he claimed a strong fifth (both overall and in the SBK class) in the first of the two races on his Van Zon-Remeha-BMW S 1000 RR.

In race two Mackels was 11th overall and sixth in the SBK class. Matej Smrz (CZ) of the Wilbers-BMW-Racing-Team had to settle for 13th overall (sixth in SBK) in race one after he had dropped back at the start, but was happy with his performance in race two where he led the chasing pack and finished both fifth overall and in the SBK class.

The Superstock class (IDM STK) also saw success for the BMW S 1000 RR. Vincent Lonbois (BE), who competed as a guest starter for team Van Zon-Remeha-BMW, finished third on the Superstock podium in race two (eighth overall).

In the opening race he had finished seventh in the class and 12th overall. Local hero Pepijn Bijsterbosch (NL / Van Zon-Remeha-BMW) was the best-placed BMW Superstock rider in race one, finishing sixth (11th overall). He was eighth (15th overall) in race two. Lucy Glöckner (DE / Wilbers-BMW-Racing-Team) came home eighth in the first race (14th overall), but failed to finish race two. Michael Filla (CZ / BMW Sikora Motorsport) was 12th and tenth (20th and 19th overall).

Marc Neumann (DE / Neumann Racing Team) finished 14th and 13th (22nd overall on both occasions). Ireneusz Sikora (PL / BMW Sikora Motorsport) was 15th in the Superstock class (23rd and 24th overall) in both races. Dominik Vincon (DE / BMW Stilgenbauer) also collected points, finishing ninth in race two (16th overall).

Ulster Grand Prix near Belfast, Northern Ireland

The prestigious Ulster Grand Prix was held at Dundrod Circuit near Belfast in Northern Ireland last weekend. The fastest road race in the world is one of the four major international road racing events that count towards the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy as a part of the BMW Combined Road Race Challenge (BMW RRC).

The event saw great success for the BMW S 1000 RR with wins and podiums and even a top-six-shut-out in the Superstock race.

The first days of the Ulster GP week were dominated by Tyco BMW rider Guy Martin (GB), who was fastest in the practice and secured pole-position both for the Superstock and the Superbike races. But, unfortunately, Martin was out of the event after a severe crash in the “Dundrod 150 Superbike Race” on Thursday evening.

He high-sided on the final lap while leading the pack and suffered several fractures. The whole BMW Motorrad Motorsport community wishes Guy a speedy recovery. The race was red-flagged after the incident and in the official classification Peter Hickman (GB / Briggs Equipment UK BMW) was third on the podium, while fellow BMW racers Keith Amor (GB / Rig Deluge BMW) and William Dunlop (GB / Tyco BMW) were fifth and sixth.

Saturday was the main racing day at the Ulster GP – and it started with an historic BMW success. In the opening Superstock race in the morning the first six positions went to BMW riders. Lee Johnston (GB / ECR/Burdens) set a new Superstock lap record on his RR and won with a mere lead of just 0.09 seconds ahead of second placed Hickman. Michael Dunlop (GB / MD Racing) was third on the podium.

His brother William Dunlop finished fourth on his Tyco BMW RR, while Amor and David Johnson (AU / Ice Valley BMW) were fifth and sixth.

After the success in the Superstock race the BMW privateers tackled two Superbike races. In the first one Johnston was the best-placed among them, finishing third on the podium, while Hickman was fourth. William and Michael Dunlop crossed the line in sixth and seventh respectively.

In the exciting second Superbike race, it was Hickman’s turn to climb onto the top step of the podium: with a strong performance and great fighting spirit he claimed his first victory on the international road racing scene. Michael Dunlop was third again, while Amor finished fourth on his BMW S 1000 RR. William Dunlop completed the top ten in tenth place.

The Ulster GP was overshadowed by the fatal accident of Scottish Kawasaki rider Andy Lawson, who lost his life in the second Supersport race. Our thoughts are with his family and friends and we would like to express our deepest sympathy.

Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship at the Hungaroring, Hungary

The penultimate race weekend of the 2015 Alpe Adria Road Racing Championship (AARR) at the Hungaroring (HU) ended with a tragic incident as well. Slovenian Yamaha rider Berto Camlek was killed in a crash in the second Superbike race on Sunday afternoon.

In this difficult time, our sympathy goes out to his family and friends and we would like to express our most sincere condolences.

The sporting aspects pale into insignificance after this sad news. The opening race in the Superbike class (AARR SBK) was won by Lukáš Pešek (CZ / BMW Motorrad Czech), with championship leader Roland Resch (AT / Reitwagen-Racing) finishing second.

In race one of the Superstock class (AARR STK) Michal Prášek (CZ / Rohac and Fejta motoracing Team) and Michal Šembera (CZ / WILLI Race Team) finished runner-up and third to take their places on the podium. Prášek won race two, with Marek Szkopek (PL / LRP Poland) coming home third.

MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series in Indianapolis, USA

Round eight out of nine in the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series (AMA) was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (US) last weekend. BMW privateer Steve Rapp (US) finished ninth overall and fifth in the Superstock class (AMA STK) in the first of the two races.

In the second race, which had to be red-flagged due to heavy rain, Rapp was 16th overall and tenth in the Superstock class.

2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy – Current Standings

In 2015 the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy comprises of a total of 19 international and national championships. Participants in the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy can compete in multiple championships. The points scored in the different championships are calculated separately for each individual race series.

The current standings only include points from the race series in which the participant has scored the most Race Trophy points. You can find all the information on the 2015 BMW Motorrad Race Trophy online at the BMW Motorrad Motorsport website:

www.bmw-motorrad-motorsport.com

- Advertisement -