In his debut season in World Superbikes Marco Melandri ended up being the runner-up, but unfortunately for him Yamaha decided to withdraw their 2012 Superbike effort and he was forced to find a new team.

Yamaha team mate Eugene Laverty found a home with the Aprilia factory team, but for a while it seemed that Melandri was firmly tipped to be fielded next to Max Biaggi, albeit in an external tea, to avoid any conflict with the Roman Emperor, but according to an interview in yesterday’s Gazzetta dello Sport, the deal didn’t go through because “Biaggi’s contract excludes an Italian rider as a team mate“.

Opting for BMW Motorrad Motorsports team for 2012, Melandri brought with him five members of his former Yamaha crew said, “We don’t want to teach the Germans how to make motorcycles, we only want to transfer our experience. We entered the pit garage on tiptoe, they’re curious to learn our work method, also adding “I saw enough during the first test with the S1000RR to realize that there will be a lot of difficulties. One of the priorities will be to keep up the team morale when things don’t go well. On a fast lap we’re still far away, but on a race distance I’m sure I can come up with more and I can’t wait to start.”

Despite having often dissed MotoGP, Melandri stated that even if he didn’t ask Yamaha he wouldn’t have minded a temporary return to the premier class, but only as a replacement rider for injured Jorge Lorenzo, “I would have liked to have filled in for Lorenzo in the last two races while he was injured. It would have been a nice parting gift something that Yamaha owed me.”

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BMW’s Superbike team just finished up a positive three day development test at Jerez on the 2012 version of the BMW S 1000 RR. Even if lap times weren’t released by team, the usual moles reporting that Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri were lapping above the’1’43″ on day 1 and in the low 1.42s on day 2.

The team worked on the chassis and the revised BMW electronics (reportedly they have finally switched to a Magneti Marelli package). Testing including various set-up solutions for the new engine specification (improved rideability and low end torque) and modified frame geometry of the 2012 bike as the aerodynamics have been optimised and modified according to the new 2012 production RR design.

“This test went really well,” said Haslam. “We made some good progress over these three days. We did a lot of development for next season and here we have been able to tick many boxes on our things-to-do-list. We also worked very productively regarding engine mapping and ride dynamic strategies. Overall, the team spirit is really high. We have a few new people in the garage and everyone is working together very well. Now we are looking forward to another three days in Portugal.”

No comment was made by Marco Melandri as he is still probably under contract with Yamaha till the end of the year as he tweeted “Last day in jerez been no easy but in the end we made step haed.thanks to all my boys!” also adding “Sorry but till 1st of january i can’t give u any comment on new bike”

BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Bernhard Gobmeier said, “We were able to complete an extensive test programme and gather important data and information in all areas of the bike. We have seen that we are on the right track with our 2012 version of the RR. We have another three test days with a packed schedule ahead of us in Portimão next week. The knowledge gained in Spain and Portugal will form an important basis for the ‘homework’ that lies ahead in the coming weeks before the season starts at Phillip Island in February.”

The team is now heading to Portimao on Monday for another three-day test alongside Crescent Suzuki and Aprilia.

Photo source | marcomelandri@twitter.com

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World Superbike BMW Motorrad team will be at Jerez de la Frontera circuit for a three day test with the new 2012 BMW S1000RR (Moto2 teams will also be present).

For Leon Haslam it will be his second season with the BMW Motorrad team, while for new team mate Marco Melandri it will only be his second test on the machine following his debut in the World Superbike post season test Portimao last month, where he finished in 8th.

Melandri was the 2011 runner-up on Yamaha R1, is hyped about the test and tweeted “Off to jerez!! First real 2012 test.. Exited and nervous like first dinner with Manuela.. Happy to find my guys on track!”

BMW and other teams will carry out another test session at Portimao from November 28th to the 30th, the last one before the new WSBK testing ban goes into effect.

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The final race of the final round of the 2011 World Superbike season at Portimao was a sort of slap in the face towards Yamaha who announced in August that they would pulling out of the series, as the win went to Marco Melandri, who took his fourth victory of the season, while team mate Eugene Laverty was second.

Jonathan Rea again the holeshot with Eugene Laverty, Marco Melandri and Carlos Checa hot behind him. The Castrol Honda tried to put a distance between the rest of the field, but the Yamaha riders wouldn’t let him escape as the Irishman caught both Melandri and Rea on lap 2 and lead the race for almost its entirety, until Melandri with a lighter tank began to hunt him down and then passed him with four laps to go and ultimately would cruise to victory, while Laverty had his hands full with an aggressive Rea.

The Castrol Honda rider made a couple of hard moves, but Laverty fended him off with his own hard moves and kept him at bay to the finish line to take second and three tenths of second ahead, however Laverty’s efforts weren’t enough to keep his third place in the standings which returned to Max Biaggi, as the Italian took seventh under the chequered flag.

Continue reading: WSBK Portimao: Marco Melandri says good-bye to Yamaha Racing with a win in race 2

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BMW Motorrad Motorsport World Superbike team is going through still another team re-shuffling, Rainer Bäumel who took over after Davide Tardozzi was ousted at the end of 2010, is leaving the squad as head of racing operations at the end of season and has been appointed Project Manager on a new vehicle project at BMW.

The new team manager has yet to be announced, but it is almost certain that Yamaha’s Andrea Dosoli will be following newly signed Marco Melandri to the German squad.

Press release:

Change in personnel at BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Rainer Bäumel (45), Head of Race Operations, will leave the factory team at the end of the 2011 season, to take on the role of Project Manager on a new vehicle project at BMW Motorrad. The man from Landshut played a crucial role in the entry of BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the Superbike World Championship, and was involved in the sporting development of the team in various roles. Bäumel’s successor as Head of Race Operations will be announced at a later date.

Continue reading: BMW's Rainer Bäumel leaves WSBK - replacement not named

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Ahead of today’s World Superbike round at Magny Cours, BMW Motorrad Motorsport has announced that they’ve signed up Marco Melandri to their team for next 2012 championship season.

Melandri along with Eugene Laverty were shocked to find out that Yamaha would be pulling out their factory effort at the end of 2011 which left them scrambling for a new ride. The Italian received serious offers from Aprilia and BMW, but probably preferred taking up the better paying German offer (€ 800,000 has been rumored) over Aprilia who wanted to give him second rider status to avoid any conflict with long time rival Max Biaggi.

Melandri will be joining Leon Haslam (who re-confirmed for another season just last month) while Troy Corser is expected to retire at the end of the season.

“We are really looking forward to working with Leon and Marco,” said BMW Motorsport Director Bernhard Gobmeier. “I am convinced we will have arguably the strongest rider’s line up in the Superbike World Championship field. We are delighted to have two riders who are both hungry and experienced for the coming season. That is the next important step for our team.”

“Marco has performed brilliantly this season, even during difficult periods. He impressed us in his first season in the championship, and we are pleased to be able to welcome him into our team.”

Melandri made his World Superbike debut with Yamaha this season and immediately showed his talent on a production bike by taking wins at Donington Park, Brno and Motorland Aragon and he’s expected to take second overall in the championship standings.

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This morning’s QP2 at Magny Cours was warm and sunny and it was Marco Melandri who grabbed the provisional pole in QP2 after struggling all of yesterday trying to learn the French track

The Italian, who is pondering over offers from Aprilia (they want him in team Pata) and BMW, grabbed the top of the charts with his last flying lap of 1.38.179 demoting the Effenbert Liberty Ducati duo Sylvain Guintoli (on his spare bike) and Jakub Smrz to 2nd and 3rd.

Ayrton Badovini impressed with his BMW Italia by taking fourth, outpacing the factory BMW team of Leon Haslam and Troy Corser who were fifth and sixth respectively. Noriyuki Haga came in seventh with Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes right on his tail.

Soon-to-be 2011 World Superbike champion Carlos Checa rounded out the top ten, unable to improve his lap times.

Not making the cut to this afternoon’s Superpole will be only two riders, Javier Fores and Roberto Rolfo as the grid is down to only eighteen riders with Max Biaggi and Chris Vermeulen still recovering from their injuries and Castrol Honda’s Ruben Xaus who has been forced out of this round after crashing out at 210km during yesterday’s FP1, the doctors deemed that the muscle damage to his neck was to severe for him to race.

Continue reading: Marco Melandri tops the charts in QP2 at Magny Cours

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The second and final day of World Superbike testing at Misano, before everyone heads to Imola for the double header on September 25th, once again saw Marco Melandri set the pace. The Yamaha rider’s fastest lap was 1.35.8 which was set on race tires and again faster than June’s race record lap (1′36.520) set by Carlos Checa.

Yamaha team worked on electronics, engine brake and geometry which also helped Eugene Laverty post the second best time alongside with points leader Carlos Checa.

Most of the riders spent considerable time doing tire testing for Pirelli’s new compound solutions for the 2012 season.

Ayrton Badovini ended up an impressive fourth for BMW Italia despite a small crash earlier in the day with Kawasaki’s Joan Lascorz posting the same 1.36.1 lap time. Chris Vermeulen’s physical condition did not allow him to take part in Wednesday’s testing.

Continue reading: Marco Melandri fastest on day 2 of Misano WSBK test

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Yesterday’s first day of World Superbike testing at Misano saw Marco Melandri head the top of the unofficial time sheets. The soon-to-be former Yamaha factory rider posted a 1.36.0 which was half a second faster than Carlos Checa’s who had set the race record lap at the Italian circuit when the championship hit the track in June for its 6th round.

Checa and Melandri’s team mate Eugene Laverty posted the exact same time to take the second spot.

The test also saw the return of Chris Vermeulen who had skipped Nurburgring due to his continuing elbow injury and he’s expected to take part in the upcoming round at Imola. Ruben Xaus, who also missed the German round due to a back injury, also returned to track, but Makoto Tamada who subbed for him also was on hand to help the Castrol Honda team.

Continue reading: WSBK Misano test day 1: Marco Melandri heads timesheets

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When riders are interviewed immediately after a tough race with the adrenaline still pumping through their veins, sometimes they regret what they say in the heat of the moment, and Marco Melandri is no different.

After his words to LA7 commentator saying that the riders were “treated like idiots” and that the race was “scandalous” and “someone could have been killed”, the soon-to-be ex-Yamaha rider backed slightly down on his harsh words, but still stated via Twitter that the race was “no easy and dangerous” and in an subsequent interview with Gianluigi Ragno’s (Misterhelmet) blog on the LA7 website, Melandri commented,

“I’ve got to tell you, I admit to have been impulsive and I apologize for the terms I used when I got off the bike. But I also believe that we can’t pretend that nothing happened and that’s why I went to the Race Direction to propose a solution to be applied in cases like this. They assured me that they will discuss it and perhaps at Imola they’ll have a solution so we don’t find ourselves in similar situation like we had today .

When Eugene Laverty signals that something is wrong and Gianfranco Carloia of the Race Direction speaking to gpone.com said “we acted based on what we saw in the monitors and what the track officials told us. The signal from Laverty was difficult to interpret, and simultaneously Haga kept improving his lap times” and “at a certain point some other riders (like Sykes) made very clear signals, and then we interrupted the race” you have to agree with Melandri that something has to be done to avoid another gross misunderstanding of this kind.

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Yamaha’s Marco Melandri lashed out at the Race Direction after Race 2 at Nurburgring, the Italian finished 6th in the treacherous race had this to say to LA7’s commentator, which we’ve translated for you and Melandri does not mince his words.

It was scandalous, you can’t risk the safety of the riders on track this way, we’ve could have been killed. They treated us like idiots, they were criminals. When it stopped raining they red flagged the race, only because 75% of the race was completed and by then the track was becoming pretty good and the critical moment was over. It’s not right, ruining the races like this. Shit, when Eugene [Laverty] and I started to complain … and I think others also complained… it should have been stopped and then re-started, we knew that it wouldn’t have rained that hard all day. It was stupid.
Unfortunately the riders have no decisional power, it’s not fair. Everyone did it [raised their arms], like I said we’re part of the game, we don’t count. Unfortunately a lot of riders fell and I hope no one was injured. Like I said it’s scandalous and not right.

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Marco Melandri usually likes to train with motocross bikes and is a big friend of 4-time Motocross champion Tony Cairoli, but this time the Superbike rider decided to put in a little supermoto training at the Castelletto di Branduzzo circuit, ahead of this weekend’s 10th round of the World Superbike championship at Nurburgring.

Check out this video from Melandri’s helmet camera. He’s pretty good isn’t he?

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