ROKiT BMW Motorrad and Bonovo Action BMW Racing unveiled their liveries for the 2024 World Superbike Championship during a special presentation in Berlin yesterday night.
The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team launched the BMW M 1000 RR superbikes that Toprak Razgatlioglu, Michael van der Mark, Scott Redding, and Garett Gerloff will ride for 2024 WorldSBK.
The German manufacturer officially launched its 2024 campaign with all four factory riders at the BMW Motorrad Plant’s new BMW Motorrad Welt. This season, the Bonovo team will collaborate much more closely with the factory squad.
One unique aspect of the Berlin team presentation was that fans could watch the action live on location along with invited guests. Many of them took advantage of the chance to secure the much sought-after no-cost tickets for the event, allowing them to personally engage with the four BMW Motorrad WorldSBK factory riders.
ROKiT BMW team will sport black, red and blue colours as 2021 world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu will lead the team’s championship bid following his unexpected switch from Yamaha. The Turkish rider posed the only serious threat to two-time WorldSBK champion Alvaro Bautista last season.
“I’ve realized that the people believe in me, but it is important that you believe in your bike,” Razgatlioglu said. “Many people say that the BMW is not ready to fight for the championship, but I believe that my bike is ready to fight for wins and the championship.
“We just need my setup because my riding style is completely different. When we have this, we can easily fight for the win.
“Now I am just focusing on the test next week. It is really important for me. I need to adapt to the bike, and I believe that we can fight for the podium and the wins this season.
“I am excited. I signed with BMW, but I am also a part of the family. This is something I saw today again, and it is great.
“I will give more than 100 percent, I will try to win with BMW. Everyone is working hard, and this is a great extra motivation also for me. If we keep doing this, we will win the World Championship.”
Toprak will join his former Yamaha colleague Michael van der Mark this season. The Dutch rider hopes to make progress on the M1000 RR after suffering two seasons of missed opportunities due to injuries.
On the other hand, the M1000 RR Bonovo Action bikes predominantly feature a white livery with splotches of blue, red and black. Scott Redding joins the team after leaving Shaun Muir’s ROKiT squad.
Garrett Gerloff retained his seat with the Bonovo team following a strong 2023 campaign. With four top five finishes under his belt, the American stood as the leading BMW rider in the championship rankings placing 12th.
BMW has expanded its project to include a robust test crew alongside its four factory riders. Bradley Smith, who is a former MotoGP racer, and Sylvain Guintoli, who is the 2014 World Superbike Champion, will be working closely with the manufacturer to improve the M1000 RR. Guintoli is going to race in the Endurance World Championship as a BMW factory rider.
The two BMW teams and their riders will right away return to the racetrack in preparation for the 2024 WorldSBK campaign. The next test sessions are scheduled on January 24 and 25, in JereZ.
Phillip Island (AUS) will host the opening race weekend of the season from February 23 to 25.
