Munich. BMW Motorrad Motorsport racers have already won twotitles this season – and the last race weekend confirmed that BMWriders will be settling titles between themselves in at least twomore race series. In the International German Championship (IDM) andthe French European Bikes Championship (FR EU), BMW S 1000 RR racersclaimed more top-three lock-outs to move further ahead of theircompetitors. Kenny Foray (FRA) also celebrated his fourth win of theseason 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 theLausitzring (GER) for the fifth of seven season events. The BMW racerswere in dominant form once again – and claimed a top-three lock-out inboth 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) securedthird place to complete the podium. In the second race, Mikhalchikcelebrated his seventh win of the season, triumphing by a significantmargin of nearly five seconds. Mackels claimed second place and Puffefinished third. Pepjin Bijsterbosch (NED) secured fifth position inboth races.
Although there are still two events with a total of four races leftin this season, it has already been confirmed that the title will goto a BMW rider. The best rider for another manufacturer is already toofar behind. Mikhalchik leads the overall standings with 224 points.Mackels (211 points) is thirteen points back in second place. Puffe isin third place with 150 points and still has a mathematical chance ofclaiming the title.
French Superbike Championship at Carole, France.
Reigning champion Kenny Foray (FRA / Tecmas Racing Team) endured aturbulent time at the penultimate event of the French SuperbikeChampionship 2018 (FSBK) season at Carole, outside Paris (FRA).
Foray secured pole position for both races with his BMW S 1000 RR. Healso posted the fastest lap time in race one before taking a tumble.Foray picked us his bike and continued the race, finishing in tenthplace. Foray’s team-mate Maxime Bonnot (FRA) finished the first racein eighth position, claiming victory in the Superbike Challenger class(SBK Ch).
In race two, Foray converted pole position into his fourth win of theseason. 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 finishedin sixth and fourth positions in the two races. Foray is currentlysecond in the championship standings.
French European Bikes Championship at Carole, France.
The French European Bikes Championship (FR EU) also paid a visit toCarole for the penultimate event of the 2018 season. The weekendfeatured a top-three lock-out and a total of five podium finishes forBMW racers. It has already been confirmed that the champion will be aBMW rider: defending champion Florian Brunet-Lugardon (FRA / Gers MotoVitesse Ordannaise) or Jonathan Germany (FRA).
In race one on Saturday, Brunet-Lugardon and Germany reached thepodium in second and third positions. Germany also recorded thefastest lap time. The BMW riders then celebrated a top-three lock-outin the second race on Sunday with experienced rider Hernani Teixeira(FRA) claiming victory, finishing 0.384 seconds ahead of Germany, whoonce again posted the best lap time. Brunet-Lugardon finished third tosecure the final podium spot.
With two races to go, Brunet-Lugardon leads the championshipstandings with 231 points. Germany is in second place overall with 192points. Aprilia rider Gino de la Rosa is already so far back in thirdplace that he has no chance of claiming the title.
MotoAmerica at Pittsburgh, USA.
The MotoAmerica (MA) was in action at Pittsburgh (USA) at theweekend. Danny Eslick (USA / Scheibe Racing) competed with the BMW S1000 RR in the Superbike class (MA SBK). He failed to finish race oneand took the chequered flag in seventh in the second race.
In the Superstock race (MA STK), BMW rider Travis Wyman (USA / WeirEverywhere Racing) finished in fourth position.