Again, there is reason to celebrate for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport: After Saturday’s first ever pole position in the team’s young history, Troy Corser (AUS) secured the German team its second podium on Sunday, finishing race 1 in third. It was Troy’s 130th podium finish, and his 50th third place finish in his World Superbike career. Ruben Xaus (ESP) did not finish the race due to a mechanical problem. There was smoke coming from Ruben’s bike when the oil line touched the exhaust pipe and burned. In race 2, Troy was not able to hold on to his starting position. He was in the top five until the final lap when he missed a gear when downshifting before Tramonto corner. He ran off the track and lost a couple of positions. Ruben was involved in some collisions right after the start and was not able to finish the race as he was hit by another rider’s bike. The impact caused a bruise and a haematoma inside the muscle of his left calf.

Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Result Race 1: 3rd, Gap to 1st: 00:00.822 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:36.876 min
Result Race 2: 10th, Gap to 1st: 00:16.279 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:36.713 min
“I am really happy with the way this weekend has gone. It has been our team’s best performance so far, with our first ever pole position and a podium finish in race 1. But at the same time I am also a little disappointed because I felt we had the pace to win both races today. In the first race I felt comfortable leading the race, and had it not been for a mistake towards the end of the race I think I would have finished second or even first. It was just a case of trying a little too hard. In race 2 we made some slight changes to the setup to give more grip to the rear wheel, but this meant we lost some feeling from the front tyre and this affected the handling of the bike. Unfortunately at the end of the race I hit a false neutral on the down change before Tramonto which meant I missed my brake point, forcing me into the gravel.”

Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Result Race 1: DNF
Result Race 2: DNF
“This was a day to forget. It started with the technical problem we had in race 1. After the start of the second race I braked hard into the corner but was hit by another rider moving me out. I managed to stay on the bike but at the next direction change I was again hit hard by another rider crashing into my left leg. Again, I stayed on the bike but really felt a bad pain in the leg, which made my muscles react very slowly. I started missing the gears, and very soon I missed a gear in the corner, and my knee hit the tarmac heavily. I lost my knee pad, and that was it. I will now try to recover for the tests in Imola.”

Berthold Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director):
“Congratulations to the entire team. Everybody has done a great job over the course of the weekend, and we were rewarded. It was a weekend with ups and downs, but the positive side outbalances the negative side: We took our first ever pole position, got another podium finish, and lap time wise we are up to speed. I feel really sorry for Ruben and his crew – this weekend luck was not on his side. But that’s racing, and we will not hang our heads. I am happy with everyone’s efforts over the weekend.”

A seven week long break after the last race in Monza (ITA) has not slowed down Ayrton Badovini (ITA) and his BMW S 1000 RR in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup: He won his fifth race out of five, 2.576 seconds ahead of his closest rival Maxime Berger (FRA). In the riders’ standings, Ayrton now has 125 points, and he has increased his lead on Maxime (66) to 59 points. BMW leads the manufacturers’ standings with 125 points, 32 ahead of Honda.


Weather conditions: Sunny.
Temperature: Air: 28 – 32 °C, Track: 28 – 50 °C
Number of riders participating: 23 from 14 teams
Fastest lap Race 1: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:36.670 min
Fastest lap Race 2: Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team) 1:36.546 min