BMW: ‘The target is a least a win, but I imagine we’ll see several podiums’

BMW say winning a race in WorldSBK is their main target for the 2024 season,🎃 although Toprak Razgatlioglu’s pre-season form suggests mor🎀e could be possible.

Toprak Razgatlioglu, Michael Van Der Mark, Jerez WorldSBK test, 25 January
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Michael Van Der Mark, Jerez WorldSBK test, 25 January

Despite very good tests in Jerez and Portimao, BMW have cooled expectations ahead of the new WorldSBK campaign.

New signee Toprak Razgatlioglu has been as good as ▨expected during pre-season testing, as he topped the Portimao test ahead of Nicolo Bulega🍰. 

Other BMW riders such as Michael Van Der Mark and Garrett Gerloff have also been strong, whil🎀e Scott Redding ended the Jerez test third.

But BMW Motorrad Motoജrsport Director, Marc Bongers, says podiums should be the aim before thinking of ‘at 🐼least a win’.

“We’ve built on the package from last year,” said Bongers. “Some minor changes in all areas really; chassis, electr🐓onics, aerodynamics. Just minor updates bu🐲t to complete the package and it’s a pleasure to see that Toprak didn’t seem to take a lot of time to adapt.

“Since we could carry the setup fr☂om Jerez to Portimao and it immediately works, we are convinced we have a good bas🐼e package.

“We need to get back to the podium. We had several in 2022 but a hard year in 2023. The target is at least ﷺa win, but I would imagine that we’ll see several podiums.”

With regard to♔ testing and providing their riders with a package that they can all be competitive with, Bongers feel꧙s the changes made have helped in that area.

“Very happy with how testing has gone. We’ve shown some good tim🌠es in bo🎀th time attacks and long runs.

“Toprak has been at the top of the list. I’m happy that ♉we could bring the pace we had in Jerez and copy past here.

“I’m con🌜fident. It’s go🐈od to see where we’re at against our competitors.

“Garrett showed the way [last year] and showed the potentia🐟l of the package.

“Michael wasn’t entirely fit. Scott was struggling with other issues but I’m happy to see Michaᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ𒀰el fit here.

“We build🌼 on what Garrett and the package did last year.”

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