The Autodrom Most proved a challenging venue for BMW Motorrad Motorsport, with the team facing further setbacks following Danilo Petrucci’s crash and Miguel Oliveira’s continued absence due to injury.
The fifth round of the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Most, Czech Republic, turned into a difficult weekend for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. With Miguel Oliveira already sidelined after an injury sustained at Balaton Park, it was Danilo Petrucci whose weekend was abruptly cut short. The Italian rider, despite showing promise in practice, suffered a heavy crash during the first main race, fracturing his coccyx and forcing him to withdraw from the remainder of the event.
A difficult weekend for BMW Motorrad Motorsport
The results from Most paint a clear picture: misfortune continued to plague the BMW team. Danilo Petrucci, who had demonstrated good potential by setting the sixth-fastest combined time in free practice, crashed out at turn 13 during the opening race. A violent ‘highsider’ sent him to the ground, resulting in a fractured coccyx. After being taken to Most hospital, he was discharged the following day, but his participation in upcoming races is now uncertain.
Van der Mark steps in
In response to this latest setback, Michael van der Mark, an endurance rider and test rider for BMW, was called upon to replace the absent Miguel Oliveira. Despite his extensive experience, the Dutchman had to contend with a less familiar machine and a compromised grid position. He finished 14th in the first race, having had several lap times disallowed. On Sunday, he managed to secure a top-10 finish in the Superpole Race (10th) before concluding the second race in 13th place. These were solid performances given the circumstances, but fell short of the team’s ambitions.
Mixed reactions but long-term commitment confirmed
Despite these setbacks, Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, reaffirmed the brand’s long-term commitment to motorcycle racing. “The entire team is looking forward to the coming years in WorldSBK and FIM EWC,” he stated, also thanking Michael van der Mark for his swift and effective intervention. Technical Director Christian Gonschor echoed a mixed assessment: “Friday was good, with solid top-ten results. But Saturday ended catastrophically with Danilo’s injury.” Michael van der Mark, while pleased with his return, expressed his disappointment regarding his teammates’ situations.
Ducati dominance at Most
Meanwhile, Ducati machines reaffirmed their dominance at the Most circuit. Nicolò Bulega was in imperious form, securing pole position with a new lap record before going on to win all three races. His Aruba.it Racing – Ducati teammate, Iker Lecuona, highlighted the strength of the Italian package by finishing on the second step of the podium twice. Yari Montella completed the Ducati sweep, taking third place on the podium.
BMW struggling in the standings
This difficult run is reflected in the overall standings. Miguel Oliveira, despite his injuries, remains the highest-placed BMW rider in 8th position. Danilo Petrucci drops to 15th, while Michael van der Mark, with just 5 points, is at the bottom of the team’s standings. In the manufacturers’ championship, BMW sits in a disappointing 3rd place, well behind Ducati and Bimota. The season looks set to be a challenging one for the German manufacturer, which urgently needs to find form and, crucially, reliability.
Key figures from the Most weekend
- Pole Position: Nicolò Bulega (Ducati) with a 1:29.616 (new circuit record)
- Race 1: Victory for Nicolò Bulega (Ducati)
- Superpole Race: Victory for Nicolò Bulega (Ducati)
- Race 2: Victory for Nicolò Bulega (Ducati)
- Fastest Lap (Race 1): Iker Lecuona (Ducati) with a 1:30.562
- Fastest Lap (Race 2): Nicolò Bulega (Ducati) with a 1:30.109
- BMW Riders: Danilo Petrucci (injured), Michael van der Mark (replacement).
