The WorldSBK will see more diversity on its grid next season, as two satellite BMW squads will race in 2021, in addition to the factory effort.
Those two teams are the RC Squadra Corse team from Italy and the Bonovo Action team from Germany. Both squads will have only one rider, but they both will use the new BMW M1000RR superbike platform for their racing needs.
On RC Squadra Corse, Eugene Laverty will ride, as he steps down from the factory team to make way for Michael van der Mark. Conversely, the Jonas Folger has gotten the nod to ride with the Bonovo Action team, working that German connection.
“Cooperation with satellite teams represents another important step for our involvement in the FIM Superbike World Championship,” said Markus Schramm, Director of BMW Motorrad.
“It is great to have two more BMW M1000RR’s in the field alongside the two motorbikes from our works teams, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team with riders Tom Sykes and Michael van der Mark.”
“I would like to extend a warm welcome to the two satellite teams in our WorldSBK project. The Bonovo Action team with Jonas Folger is the first German team to register to compete in the WorldSBK with a Bavarian rider on a Bavarian motorbike. That is a special combination.”
“I am also delighted that Eugene Laverty will remain an integral member of our BMW family, applying his talents and his knowledge of BMW superbikes in our satellite team RC Squadra Corse, newly formed but already well known in the World Superbike paddock. I hope that they will all enjoy a successful 2021 WorldSBK season!”
Will the added number of BMW superbikes on the grid lead to better results for the German brand? That remains to be seen.
For the 2020 season, the factory BMW Motorrad squad under Shaun Muir Racing certainly underperformed, so the focus for 2021 certainly has to be to move up the rostrum.
With a great diversity in rider input, and factory involvement from Germany in each of the three squads, the hope from BMW Motorrad is that they can jumpstart their superbike development and see the M1000RR challenge at the front.
We shall see if they are successful in the endevour, but it should certainly be exciting to see the BMW M1000RR on the track.
Source: BMW Motorrad
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