'The team has made clear progress' - BMW boss discusses the Portimao WorldSBK Test
Yesterday at 04:49 AM
Shaun Muir has praised Toprak Razgatlioglu and BMW after a positive Portimao World Superbike Test.
Last weekend's World Superbike Test at Portimao was a clear indicator that BMW are still very much a threat in the title fight.
The German manufacturer was left stunned after the opening round of the season at Phillip Island when Ducati dominated proceedings and won all three races.
After only scoring points in one race and leaving the season opener in eighth in the standings, Toprak Razgatlioglu threatened to walk away from the World Superbike paddock if Ducati's dominance was not addressed.
However, at the latest test, it was clear to see that Razgatlioglu and the BMW M1000RR were back on top. The Turkish rider was at the top of the timesheets on both days and had a 0.4-second advantage over Nicolo Bulega.
There is now a more optimistic feeling in the BMW garage after a positive test.
"We're back in Portimao, which has always been a strong reference for us," ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team Principal Shaun Muir told WorldSBK.com.
"Despite some lost track time due to the weather, both riders managed an average of 50 laps per day, so we can't be too disappointed.
"Michael [van der Mark] had a solid test, working through a list of setup items and making steady progress.
"On the other side of the garage, Toprak focused on re-establishing his base setting, quickly finding a strong race pace while fine-tuning his setup. His 10-lap race runs have been some of the most consistent we've seen with this package.
"With only three fully productive pre-season test days before Australia, these two days have been an important extension of that work.
"The team has made clear progress, and we're seeing growing confidence in both riders.
"Now, with two weeks until the race, we feel we have a solid base to build on and are in a much stronger position heading into FP1."
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