Superbike lap record and Superstock victory for the BMW S 1000 RR at 2015 BSB season opener

Wheels are turning again in the prestigious British Superbike Championship (BSB). Last Easter weekend, the experts from BMW Motorrad Motorsport were on site at the 2015 season opener at Donington Park (GB) to support their customers in preparing their BMW S 1000 RRs for the first races of the year. In the highest category, the Superbike class, a total of nine RRs competed in the impressive and fiercely fought field of 36 bikes. 

Ryuichi Kiyonari (JP) started the weekend as one of the favourites on his new Buildbase BMW S 1000 RR. “King Kiyo” set the fastest time in two of the three practice sessions and secured pole position with a new lap record. On race day, Easter Monday, however, fortunes turned for the three-time BSB champion. Kiyonari lost the feeling for his bike and could not transfer his pole position into the appropriate results. He finished 14th in race one and crashed in race two. The Japanese admitted afterwards it was not a problem with the bike, but that he was just missing the feeling and said he will try to get the win at the next round at Brands Hatch (GB) in two weeks’ time. 

The best placed RR rider at Donington Park was Peter Hickman (GB / RAF Reserves BMW) who finished the races in fifth and fourth respectively. The pairing at the new Tyco BMW Team, Michael Laverty (GB) and Tommy Bridewell (GB), were also satisfied with their season opener. Together with the BMW Motorrad Motorsport engineers, the team, which had its BSB debut at Donington Park, improved its brand-new RRs continuously over the weekend. On Monday, the Tyco BMW riders claimed top-ten finishes in both races: Bridewell was sixth and eighth respectively, while Laverty came home in ninth and seventh. Another top-ten result was achieved by Billy McConnell (AU), who finished ninth on his Smiths Racing RR in race two. Kiyonari’s Buildbase team-mate, Lee Jackson (GB), also collected his first championship points of the season: He was 13th in both races. Points also went to Robbie Harms (DN), who was 12th on his MotoDex BMW S 1000 RR in race one. 

In the Superstock class of the BSB, which sees a total of 40 starters, the season started with a win and a further podium finish for the BMW S 1000 RR: Hudson Kennaugh (ZA / TrikMoto BMW) was victorious in an exciting and fiercely fought race. Tyco BMW rider Alastair Seeley (NI) also put in an outstanding performance: he led up to the last lap but then dropped back two positions to finish third on the podium. Luke Quigley (GB / Formwise Washrooms / Bathams) was sixth, while Dominic Usher (GB) finished ninth on his DU Racing BMW. 

Next weekend will see more racing action for the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family: the FIM World Superbike Championship (WSBK) will return to Europe with Motorland Aragón (ES) being the venue for the third round of the season. In addition, the 2015 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup (WSTK) will kick off at the Spanish circuit. The first round of the 2015 FIM Sidecar World Championship (SWC) will be held at Donington Park (GB), and the South African Motorcycle Championship (SAM) will be in action at Zwartkorps Raceway (ZA). A new era will start in the US: with the first round of the new MotoAmerica AMA Pro SuperBike Championship (AMA) being held at Circuit of the Americas at Austin (US).