In the first race of the IDM Superbike 1000 last weekend at the Red Bull Ring, Markus Reiterberger finished second. But then came the shock: At the start of the second race, the 27-year-old Bavarian came to a standstill. What had happened to the BCC team, which was using the BMW M 1000 for the first time? During his comeback in Schleiz, Reiti had still been riding the previous model, the S 1000 RR.
The three-time IDM Superbike 1000 champion recounts: “On Friday, we worked with the ‘M’ for the first time and set it up for the track. Unfortunately, I finished behind Florian Alt in qualifying. But with my second-place grid position, I wasn’t that far behind him. On race Sunday, the weather conditions were unpredictable. I had a great start in the first race and was immediately in the lead. Then it started to rain. On the slippery track, I slid out pretty badly and lost a few positions. After the drizzle stopped, my rivals immediately opened up the throttle and were able to move up the field. It took me a little longer because I didn’t have a clear run. But after that, I set the fastest lap of the race and finished second.”
“Before the second race, we made a few adjustments to the electronics. But the bike stalled at the start. That left me stranded, and I had to restart the BMW. I managed to make up a lot of ground, but I braked too hard while battling for a top-5 finish. After another electronics issue, 15th place was the best I could manage.”
Reiterberger headed straight from the Red Bull Ring to France. On September 18–19, 2021, the legendary Bol d’Or race of the FIM Endurance World Championship will take place there at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet. The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, of which Reiterberger is also a member, is now preparing for the 24-hour classic on the track.