Munich. BMW Motorrad Motorsport racers have already won two
titles this season – and the last race weekend confirmed that BMW
riders will be settling titles between themselves in at least two
more race series. In the International German Championship (IDM) and
the French European Bikes Championship (FR EU), BMW S 1000 RR racers
claimed more top-three lock-outs to move further ahead of their
competitors. Kenny Foray (FRA) also celebrated his fourth win of the
season in the French Superbike Championship (FSBK) at the weekend.
International German Championship at the Lausitzring, Germany.
The International German Championship (IDM) paid a visit to the
Lausitzring (GER) for the fifth of seven season events. The BMW racers
were in dominant form once again – and claimed a top-three lock-out in
both races.
Bastien Mackels (BEL / Wilbers BMW Racing) won race one on Sunday,
finishing 0.644 seconds ahead of Julian Puffe (GER /
alpha-Racing-Van-Zon-BMW). His team-mate Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR) secured
third place to complete the podium. In the second race, Mikhalchik
celebrated his seventh win of the season, triumphing by a significant
margin of nearly five seconds. Mackels claimed second place and Puffe
finished third. Pepjin Bijsterbosch (NED) secured fifth position in
both races.
Although there are still two events with a total of four races left
in this season, it has already been confirmed that the title will go
to a BMW rider. The best rider for another manufacturer is already too
far behind. Mikhalchik leads the overall standings with 224 points.
Mackels (211 points) is thirteen points back in second place. Puffe is
in third place with 150 points and still has a mathematical chance of
claiming the title.
French Superbike Championship at Carole, France.
Reigning champion Kenny Foray (FRA / Tecmas Racing Team) endured a
turbulent time at the penultimate event of the French Superbike
Championship 2018 (FSBK) season at Carole, outside Paris (FRA).
Foray secured pole position for both races with his BMW S 1000 RR. He
also posted the fastest lap time in race one before taking a tumble.
Foray picked us his bike and continued the race, finishing in tenth
place. Foray’s team-mate Maxime Bonnot (FRA) finished the first race
in eighth position, claiming victory in the Superbike Challenger class
(SBK Ch).
In race two, Foray converted pole position into his fourth win of the
season. Bonnot was tenth overall and second in the SBK Ch. Robin Camus
(FRA) was also competing at Carole with a BMW S 1000 RR. He finished
in sixth and fourth positions in the two races. Foray is currently
second in the championship standings.
French European Bikes Championship at Carole, France.
The French European Bikes Championship (FR EU) also paid a visit to
Carole for the penultimate event of the 2018 season. The weekend
featured a top-three lock-out and a total of five podium finishes for
BMW racers. It has already been confirmed that the champion will be a
BMW rider: defending champion Florian Brunet-Lugardon (FRA / Gers Moto
Vitesse Ordannaise) or Jonathan Germany (FRA).
In race one on Saturday, Brunet-Lugardon and Germany reached the
podium in second and third positions. Germany also recorded the
fastest lap time. The BMW riders then celebrated a top-three lock-out
in the second race on Sunday with experienced rider Hernani Teixeira
(FRA) claiming victory, finishing 0.384 seconds ahead of Germany, who
once again posted the best lap time. Brunet-Lugardon finished third to
secure the final podium spot.
With two races to go, Brunet-Lugardon leads the championship
standings with 231 points. Germany is in second place overall with 192
points. Aprilia rider Gino de la Rosa is already so far back in third
place that he has no chance of claiming the title.
MotoAmerica at Pittsburgh, USA.
The MotoAmerica (MA) was in action at Pittsburgh (USA) at the
weekend. Danny Eslick (USA / Scheibe Racing) competed with the BMW S
1000 RR in the Superbike class (MA SBK). He failed to finish race one
and took the chequered flag in seventh in the second race.
In the Superstock race (MA STK), BMW rider Travis Wyman (USA / Weir
Everywhere Racing) finished in fourth position.