The FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) returns to historic ground. The sixth round of the 2023 season will take place at Donington Park (GBR), where the first WorldSBK race was held in 1988, from June 30 to July 2. The circuit near Nottingham (GBR) is also a special place for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. Several significant successes have been celebrated there in the past. It is also the home race for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, as well as Scott Redding (GBR) and Tom Sykes (GBR), who will once again stand in for injured Michael van der Mark (NED) this weekend.
The Bonovo action BMW Racing Team aims to continue its momentum from Misano four weeks ago (ITA) at Donington Park. At Misano, Garrett Gerloff (USA) achieved his best result of the season so far in a main race, finishing eighth in race two. His teammate Loris Baz (FRA) has used the break since Misano to train intensively and is confident of being 100% fit again after the injury he suffered at Mandalika (IDN).
Intensive preparations and yearly get-together before the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team’s home race.
The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team has a special tradition for its home race at Donington Park. At the beginning of race week, the entire team gathers at their headquarters in Guisborough (GBR), about two and a half hours’ drive from the race circuit. “Our team is based in the north of England, and after we set off for the first European event, all the trucks, equipment, bikes, and so on return to the UK for the first time. We’re practically on the road all year round,” explained Team Principal Shaun Muir. “After the races at Misano and before the races at Imola, this is the only time we have all the equipment here. It’s a good time to pack the trucks with new equipment, and we have the opportunity to prepare the bikes here in our workshop instead of doing it at the track on a Wednesday and Thursday. Here, we have several days and a suitable environment to get everything ready for Donington Park.” The 17,000-inhabitant town of Guisborough is Shaun Muir’s hometown. The team’s headquarters was established in 2002 and has been developed there since.
In addition to the core team permanently based in Guisborough, the days leading up to the race weekend at Donington Park provide an opportunity for the international team to come together. “Our team members mainly have the chance to meet during race weekends. Our mechanics come from all over Europe, from the UK, Portugal, France, Poland, and so on and now they all gather here with us. It’s really like a big team get-together,” said Muir.
Now everything is prepared, the trucks have arrived at Donington from Guisborough, and the race weekend can begin. It’s a track that team manager Muir finds exciting not only because it’s the home track: “I think what’s really special about Donington is that it’s a motorcycle track through and through. It has always been on the WorldSBK calendar; that’s where it all started. Personally, I really like the circuit, and all the riders I speak to feel the same way. I believe that Donington Park is one of the top-three tracks for almost all riders, from the past and the present. It’s a real attraction. So, I’m really looking forward to it.”
