Maxi Gerardo: Our champion from Uruguay.
Munich. South American BMW racers also know how to win titles. One such rider is Maxi Gerardo, the newly crowned PRO Superbike champion in SuperBike Brasil, a series that saw several BMW champions in different categories. Gerardo and Team BMW Rider Experience won the title in the highest class of the championship. He finished all ten races of the season on the podium, collecting two wins, six second-places and two third-places in the highly contested category. In an interview, we learn more about the 28-year old rider from Uruguay.
Images © 2soulphoto
Maxi Gerardo
© 2soulphoto
Maxi, congratulations on winning the title in the PRO Superbike class in Brazil. It was a very close fight for the championship. You secured the crown with P2 in the final race of the year. How happy were you at that moment?
Maxi Gerardo: “It was a moment of great happiness to know that we had achieved it after working very hard throughout the year in a championship that was highly competitive. We were always in the fight, but there was never a significant points difference among the top three.”
Tell us a bit about you. You started to race bikes pretty late; in which series have you competed since then?
Gerardo: “I’ve been competing most of the time in Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil, where I managed to win a total of eight titles: three in Brazil, three in Argentina, and two in Uruguay in different categories. I also competed in a season of WorldSBK’s Superstock 600 class in 2015, and in 2020, 2021 and 2022, I participated in several MotoAmerica races in Stock 1000.”
Would you rate this title win your biggest success so far?
Gerardo: “Yes, I think this championship was my greatest success because it wasn‘t just about winning the championship but also being the first foreign rider to become the Superbike champion in SuperBike Brasil. We also broke the dominance of the same brand being the champion for the last 11 years. So it has been a success for many reasons.“
You mentioned that you are the first international rider to win the title in SuperBike Brasil. Does this make you proud?
Gerardo: “I am very proud to have achieved it, to carry the flag of my country to the highest level in such a competitive championship as SuperBike Brasil.”
Maxi Gerardo
© 2soulphoto
We already mentioned how closely fought the races have been, but you made it onto the podium every time. What was your key to success?
Gerardo: “We were on the podium in all ten races we competed in, which is crucial in the final stages of the championship when accumulating points. I believe the key to success was consistently finishing races as far ahead as possible without making mistakes that would prevent us from scoring points. And when there were opportunities to fight for victory, we tried to seize them.”
The BMW racers collected several titles in the 2023 SuperBike Brasil. Is the bike also a factor that made you guys so strong?
Gerardo: “The bike is very good, and obviously, having a good bike makes everything easier for the rider.”
You also know racing in Europe. What makes racing in South America so special?
Gerardo: “It‘s always special to race in South America, surrounded by friends and family. Being able to compete in a race weekend with them being around is a very special experience.”
To become champion, you need a strong environment. Who are the people around you that support you?
Gerardo: “Here I want to say thank you to my entire team, to my technician Mauro, who is in charge of ensuring that the bike performs race after race, and my sponsors MOTUL, LS2, BIKE UP and 2MT MOTORSPORT.”
What racing goals do you set yourself now for the future?
Gerardo: “We haven‘t decided our future 100 percent yet. One of the possibilities will likely be to continue in SuperBike Brasil, and another might be to test ourselves in a championship a bit farther from our home.”
