FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

The BMW works team, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, is a collaboration between BMW Motorrad Motorsport and British Shaun Muir Racing. As BMW Motorrad Motorsport, the squad around Team Principal Shaun Muir has a wealth of experience in racing and in the FIM Superbike World Championship – perfect partners in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.

The Italian RC Squadra Corse team is one of the two BMW satellite teams in WorldSBK in 2021. The team, which is owned by Roberto Colombo, may be operating under a new name but comes with a wealth of experience from the WorldSBK paddock. The team has been active in the Superbike World Championship since 2016. Last season, it also entered the Supersport World Championship. In Eugene Laverty, the team has a rider who is very familiar with BMW and was closely involved in the development of the new bike, the BMW M 1000 RR.

Bonovo MGM Racing also lines up as one of the two BMW satellite teams in WorldSBK. The German team is led by owner Jürgen Röder and manager Michael Galinski. In 2020, Bonovo MGM Racing and its rider Jonas Folger dominated the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM) with eight wins in eight races. It also enjoyed impressive outings with Folger at the WorldSBK events at Barcelona and Estoril. Bonovo MGM Racing is now taking the next step, as it goes all in with BMW in WorldSBK. The team continues to work with Folger, making this the first time a German team has signed up for the full WorldSBK season with a Bavarian rider on a Bavarian bike.

With the new BMW M 1000 RR, BMW Motorrad Motorsport is taking performance to the next level. The first M model from BMW Motorrad is a consistent further development of the BMW S 1000 RR and, even in the production version, offers thoroughbred racing technology for use in motorsport and on the streets. This has been made possible by the close collaboration between BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the production development department. BMW riders Tom Sykes, Eugene Laverty and Markus Reiterberger have done a lot of testing and given their input from a rider’s perspective. With its features developed on the racing scene, the M RR provides the perfect basis for the WorldSBK bike, which has been modified – as far as permitted by the regulations – to meet the special demands it will encounter in the World Championship. The main areas to be modified were the propulsion, chassis geometry, brakes and fairings.

The engine on the new M RR, and the production version, was systematically developed for motor racing purposes; the production model generates 212 hp. The engine has BMW ShiftCam technology for adjusting the valve timing and valve stroke, as well as technical improvements like the new 2-ring forged pistons and titanium connecting rods. In its WorldSBK spec, the bike is capable of over 230 hp. On the homologated production model, the throttle valves are split so that this feature can used explicitly in racing. This feauture makes it possible to control each pair of cylinders separately – for smoother power delivery.

When it comes to aerodynamics, another significant innovation immediately catches the eye: the carbon winglets. They were developed in intensive tests, both at the racetrack and in the wind tunnel, and ensure the best possible contact between the wheels and the track – particularly when accelerating. The effect of the winglets is also noticeable in corners and when braking, as the downforce allows the rider to brake later and improves stability in corners. The winglets work in combination with a higher windshield.