24h Le Mans kicks off 2023 FIM EWC with new BMW M 1000 RR • Complete Motorbike

Le Mans. The stage is ready for the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC): subsequent weekend (thirteenth to sixteenth April), the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Crew will likely be beginning the 2023 season with the brand new #37 BMW M 1000 RR. The opening occasion will as soon as once more be the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). When it comes to riders, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Crew round Crew Supervisor Werner Daemen (BEL) is specializing in continuity. For the 2023 season, Markus Reiterberger (GER), Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR) and Jérémy Guarnoni (FRA) will once more be the common racers on the #37 BMW M 1000 RR. Patrick Hobelsberger (GER) will help the workforce because the fourth rider at Le Mans.

For the most recent technology of the BMW M 1000 RR, the aerodynamics have been reworked extensively, which has considerably elevated aerodynamic effectivity. BMW Motorrad Motorsport has additionally been working intensively on sturdiness over the winter, notably with regard to the challenges in endurance racing. There are additionally varied different areas wherein additional optimisations have been made to the #37 BMW M 1000 RR. The workforce loved profitable winter testing. To conclude preparations, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Crew took half within the personal check day at Le Mans on Tuesday.

The brand new Tecmas-MRP-BMW Racing Crew will likely be debuting at Le Mans. On this undertaking, the French Tecmas Racing Crew of workforce proprietor Arnaud Sassone (FRA) is becoming a member of forces with Werner Daemen’s firm Motorbike Racing Elements, supported by BMW Motorrad Motorsport. The workforce will contest the total season within the Superstock class of the FIM EWC with the #9 BMW M 1000 RR. The bike will likely be ridden by Kenny Foray (FRA), Jan Bühn (GER) and Loïc Arbel (FRA). Maxime Bonnot (FRA) is the fourth rider for Tecmas-MRP-BMW Racing Crew.

The Le Mans race weekend begins with the free follow session on Thursday morning. Grid positions will then be decided in the course of the two-part qualifying session on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. The forty sixth version of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will begin on Saturday at 15:00 (CEST). The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Crew and the Tecmas-MRP-BMW Racing Crew will likely be joined at Le Mans by the privateer BMW groups Crew LRP Poland and Seigneur Motorsport Crew Mont-Blanc.

The 2023 season within the FIM EWC consists of 4 occasions. The Le Mans season opener is adopted on seventeenth/18th June by the 24 HEURES SPA Motos at Spa-Francorchamps (BEL), the place BMW Motorrad World Endurance Crew celebrated its first victory in a 24-hour race final yr. The 8 Hours of Suzuka (JPN) will likely be held on sixth August, and the season ends in autumn, with the Bol d’Or at Le Castellet (FRA) on sixteenth/seventeenth September.

Quotes forward of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “After the lengthy winter break, we at the moment are wanting ahead to the beginning of a brand new season within the FIM EWC. Throughout the break, we now have been intensively engaged on additional optimising our endurance bike. The brand new BMW M 1000 RR boasts a very reworked aerodynamics package deal. We’ve got additionally been specializing in enhancing sturdiness – this has proved to be a weak spot over current years. We’re certain that we now have put collectively an general package deal that can enable us to battle for the title, with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Crew, our three confirmed riders Markus, Ilya and Jérémy, the brand new M RR and our companions. We need to lay the foundations for this with an excellent outcome at Le Mans. We’re additionally wanting ahead to working with the brand new Tecmas-MRP-BMW Racing Crew within the Superstock class. We’ve got all of the elements for a profitable season right here too. We’re all wanting ahead to Saturday afternoon, when the beginning flag will wave for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the brand new season.”

Werner Daemen, Crew Supervisor BMW Motorrad World Endurance Crew: “The ultimate check went properly. The riders and the workforce labored loads. We examined various things and tyres, in several circumstances with chilly and heat climate, with rain and wind – we had every little thing. We set very aggressive lap occasions, within the morning and in addition within the afternoon’s rain. I believe all of us have an excellent feeling heading into the race weekend. The workforce and the riders made a very good job and we’re properly ready.”

Markus Reiterberger: “The ultimate check was very in depth. We have been capable of kind out many issues, however we nonetheless have work to do earlier than the race. We’ve got clear hopes for the weekend: to complete on the rostrum or to get the win. It might be nice to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We all know we will do it when it comes to the workforce, the package deal and the riders. The essential factor is simply to get via. There may be nonetheless a query mark over the climate, however I believe we will likely be ready for all circumstances. We are going to give our greatest and are assured.”

Ilya Mikhalchik: “For certain, I used to be actually lacking the sensation of leaping on the bike and racing. Now lastly race week begins. Within the last check, I used to be feeling actually good within the moist and within the dry. The bike behaved actually fixed and fairly good. After all we now have some extra work to do to additional enhance the bike in all circumstances in preparation for the race. However up to now all is wanting good. All of us riders are quick and have an excellent feeling. Now let’s see how the climate will likely be throughout qualifying after which we hope to have an excellent begin to the race and get a robust outcome.”

Jérémy Guarnoni: “I believe our expectations for this weekend are the identical as at all times once we arrive for a 24-hour race. We need to obtain the absolute best outcome. And I believe we now have the potential, the velocity and the general package deal to have the ability to be quick and win the race. For us riders, is essential to make no errors after which, if we now have problem-free 24 hours, we will for certain be on the rostrum or win. I believe that we even have an excellent probability to get further championship factors in qualifying however this may additionally rely upon the climate. We don’t know but how the circumstances will likely be. So let’s see – we’ll as at all times give the utmost.”

Arnaud Sassone, Crew Proprietor Tecmas-MRP-BMW Racing Crew: “The aim is to complete on the Superstock podium and, if potential, on the best step. We don’t need to put us underneath further strain however that is what we now have been working for. We’ve got the technical personnel, the riders, the bike and the need to win. All of us are extremely motivated. The truth that we now are a everlasting workforce in FIM EWC additionally modifications loads within the heads. We don’t simply compete to complete a 24-hour race or a single occasion however to be aggressive over a whole season, hoping to assert the Superstock title.”