Estoril. This weekend, BMW Motorrad Motorsport returns to action in round three of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) after a break of three and a half weeks. Estoril, Portugal, is the venue from 20th to 22nd May. The circuit to the west of Lisbon has hosted WorldSBK on a regular basis since 2020. For BMW Motorrad Motorsport, the race weekend is also about a special anniversary: 50 years of BMW M will be an important theme in Estoril.
“Together with the teams, we have used the break after the first two race weekends at Aragón and Assen to prepare for the rest of the season. While the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team focused on chassis components at Oschersleben, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team worked on the further development of the clutch technology at Portimí£o. Now, our full focus is on the coming race weekend. In the past, we have seen that Estoril is a challenging circuit for us. Nevertheless, we are confident that we can build on the first two rounds and take the next step. The conditions will be different to those at the first two race weekends. We expect higher temperatures, so it is important to ensure that the BMW M 1000 RR is set up well for those conditions from the first practice session. The riders, engineers and mechanics are working hard to get closer to achieving our goals. I am looking forward to an exciting race weekend at Estoril and especially to the integration of the BMW M anniversary,” Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director surmised.
The two BMW Motorrad Motorsport teams used the time after the Assen (NED) races to optimize the BMW M 1000 RR. The Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, with riders Loris Baz (FRA) and Eugene Laverty (IRL), was testing at Oschersleben (GER) last Wednesday. The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team took to the Portimí£o (POR) track on Monday with its riders Scott Redding (GBR) and Michael van der Mark (NED).
“It was nice to have an extra test and also for me it was good to ride the bike to see my condition on the bike. It improved so much compared to Assen so it gave me a lot of confidence. I really like the Estoril track. It’s a track where the differences are very small so I am happy that I am a lot fitter and a lot better on the bike now. Last year, we did quite well there but the bike has changed a lot since then and I am curious to see how it will work there. For me it is good that I can finally ride more normal,” Michael van der Mark, BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team explained.
BMW M GmbH, a close partner of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, is celebrating its 50th birthday with numerous activities this year, and the big anniversary will also play a central role at Estoril. This includes BMW Motorrad Motorsport hosting a special birthday party in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Hospitality, in the paddock, on Friday evening.
“Estoril is the track where I first rode the BMW and it’s a nice place and a nice track for me. I enjoy Estoril. We had a test at Portimí£o on Monday. It was nice to be back on the bike and I really enjoyed that. I hope we can start Estoril how we finished at Assen and try to improve again the package together with the team and see what we can do so I am looking forward to being back on the motorcycle and to go from there,” Scott Redding, BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team explained.
The facts about Estoril show clearly what Redding is saying.
|
Track Facts Estoril |
|
| Circuit length | 4.182 km — clockwise |
| Corners | 13 — 9 right-handers, 4 left-handers |
| Pole position | Left |
| Longest straight | 986 meters (start/finish) |
| Grip level | Medium |
| Track layout | Undulating (wheelie), some very tight corners |
| Strain on brakes | High |
| Amount at full throttle | 22 seconds or 22.5 % |
| Top-speed / lowest speed | 288 km/h / 53 km/h |
| Best overtaking opportunity | T1, T6, T9 |
| Key factors | Braking performance, handling, stability |
