Ninjette Newsbot
March 24th, 2011, 11:00 AM
BMW moving to MotoGP soon?
http://image.sportrider.com/f/news/146_1103_bmw_moving_to_motogp_soon/36381501+ppromo_large/146-1103-+bmw-looking-to-enter-motogp-soon+1.jpg
There are increasing signs that BMW is looking to make the move to MotoGP soon; check out this inside story (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_1103_bmw_moving_to_motogp_soon/index.html)BMW appeared to ramp up their interest in MotoGP when Hendrik von Kuenheim, the CEO of the BMW motorcycle division, made a surprise visit to the Qatar GP. Kuenheim, who arrived on Saturday, met with Dorna management while also staying for Sunday’s races.
Von Kuenheim is known to be in favor of MotoGP, but when he took over from Dr. Herbert Diess a year and a half ago, the decision had already been made that BMW would go with World Superbike.
Diess had told Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta that he was intending to enter MotoGP starting in 2007, after Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams had been spotted testing a three-cylinder prototype numerous times at various circuits. Diess then changed his mind when then-Motorsport Director Bertl Hauser told him MotoGP would cost €40 million (more than $56 million US), compared to only €12 million (nearly $17 million US) for World Superbike.
But the move into World Superbike has produced few gains for the company. There is little publicity or interest for World Superbike in Germany; no real television coverage can be found there, and no team sponsor has shown interest in the company’s WSBK effort.
The move by MotoGP to 1000cc engines from 2012 on offers a good chance for a new factory to enter; new teams get nine engines instead of six, presumably so that those manufacturers have development time to get the durability of their engines in order. There are the Claiming Rule Teams that are allowed to use production components in their engines, but Dorna is on the lookout for manufacturers trying to make a backdoor entrance through this route, and Ezpeleta told BMW that they cannot enter in 2012 with a Claiming Rule Team. CRT’s have a number of concessions, including 12 engines and additional fuel capacity.
In the meantime Hauser has been sacked and Bernhard Gobmeier has taken over.
“We are watching MotoGP, but there has not been a official decision from the board of directors,“ Gobmeier said. “And we support the project of our customer Suter.” The fact that Suter Racing is using Bosch electronics now is another hint that BMW will enter. “Anyway, we are convinced that our current 1000cc engines have the right basis to produce all the horsepower needed for MotoGP.”
German firm Alpha Racing, located in Stephanskirchen, has already begun preparing S 1000 RR engines for MotoGP use, according to reliable sources.
Other possible partners include Kalex Engineering, the Bavarian firm that supplied the chassis to Qatar Moto2 winner Stefan Bradl, and Red Bull, the Austrian energy drink giant.
If BMW does come into MotoGP, it would be the perfect place for Brit Leon Haslam. The World Superbike contender would likely want to follow in the footsteps of his father Ron, who raced in the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship, and move to the premier class. The benefit to Dorna would be another Briton in the MotoGP class. Currently, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rookie Cal Crutchlow is the country’s sole representative.
As for Dorna’s take on BMW, a spokesman said, “We have a contract for MotoGP with the FIM until 2031. We are sure that one day BMW will take part.“
BMW is already in the paddock as the sole supplier of safety cars and personal vehicles to Dorna through 2016. They also award a BMW M car to the rider with the best qualifying record over the course of the season.
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There are increasing signs that BMW is looking to make the move to MotoGP soon; check out this inside story (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_1103_bmw_moving_to_motogp_soon/index.html)BMW appeared to ramp up their interest in MotoGP when Hendrik von Kuenheim, the CEO of the BMW motorcycle division, made a surprise visit to the Qatar GP. Kuenheim, who arrived on Saturday, met with Dorna management while also staying for Sunday’s races.
Von Kuenheim is known to be in favor of MotoGP, but when he took over from Dr. Herbert Diess a year and a half ago, the decision had already been made that BMW would go with World Superbike.
Diess had told Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta that he was intending to enter MotoGP starting in 2007, after Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams had been spotted testing a three-cylinder prototype numerous times at various circuits. Diess then changed his mind when then-Motorsport Director Bertl Hauser told him MotoGP would cost €40 million (more than $56 million US), compared to only €12 million (nearly $17 million US) for World Superbike.
But the move into World Superbike has produced few gains for the company. There is little publicity or interest for World Superbike in Germany; no real television coverage can be found there, and no team sponsor has shown interest in the company’s WSBK effort.
The move by MotoGP to 1000cc engines from 2012 on offers a good chance for a new factory to enter; new teams get nine engines instead of six, presumably so that those manufacturers have development time to get the durability of their engines in order. There are the Claiming Rule Teams that are allowed to use production components in their engines, but Dorna is on the lookout for manufacturers trying to make a backdoor entrance through this route, and Ezpeleta told BMW that they cannot enter in 2012 with a Claiming Rule Team. CRT’s have a number of concessions, including 12 engines and additional fuel capacity.
In the meantime Hauser has been sacked and Bernhard Gobmeier has taken over.
“We are watching MotoGP, but there has not been a official decision from the board of directors,“ Gobmeier said. “And we support the project of our customer Suter.” The fact that Suter Racing is using Bosch electronics now is another hint that BMW will enter. “Anyway, we are convinced that our current 1000cc engines have the right basis to produce all the horsepower needed for MotoGP.”
German firm Alpha Racing, located in Stephanskirchen, has already begun preparing S 1000 RR engines for MotoGP use, according to reliable sources.
Other possible partners include Kalex Engineering, the Bavarian firm that supplied the chassis to Qatar Moto2 winner Stefan Bradl, and Red Bull, the Austrian energy drink giant.
If BMW does come into MotoGP, it would be the perfect place for Brit Leon Haslam. The World Superbike contender would likely want to follow in the footsteps of his father Ron, who raced in the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship, and move to the premier class. The benefit to Dorna would be another Briton in the MotoGP class. Currently, Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rookie Cal Crutchlow is the country’s sole representative.
As for Dorna’s take on BMW, a spokesman said, “We have a contract for MotoGP with the FIM until 2031. We are sure that one day BMW will take part.“
BMW is already in the paddock as the sole supplier of safety cars and personal vehicles to Dorna through 2016. They also award a BMW M car to the rider with the best qualifying record over the course of the season.
Photo Gallery: BMW moving to MotoGP soon? - Sport Rider Magazine (http://www.sportrider.com/news/146_1103_bmw_moving_to_motogp_soon/index.html)
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