Superbikes | BMW puts an end to a difficult 2020 and looks to the future

Among the teams that leave behind a season of few lights and many shadows there is, unfortunately, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team which archives the 2020 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with only two pole positions under its belt, one each for Tom Sykes and Eugene Laverty

Sykes started ahead of everyone in the Round that opened the season in Australia while Laverty started from first place in the wet of the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, next to his teammate: unfortunately neither of them managed to get on the podium, on the contrary in France both went out at the first corner after a contact with Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team).

In the Estoril round that closed 2020, Sykes set the tenth fastest time in qualifying and Laverty the 14th. Tom Sykes took home two top ten finishes while Laverty finished 12th in his final Round with the team; next season the Irishman will make way for Michael van der Mark.
Regarding 2020 and looking ahead to 2021, Sykes said: “We have reached the end of a difficult season. I hope we have learned a lot from this year. We can't wait to start our testing program ahead of next year because there are certain key parts of the bike that we need to work on. It was difficult for me. In some parts of the track I can already ride the bike at a high level while without a doubt we are a little lacking in others. This is our main goal for this winter."
“This weekend proved it to us. We did a lot with different setups. I got here but we couldn't go any faster over the course of the weekend. It shouldn't be like this. We have a lot of work to do but in these winter months we will try to put everything together for next season. In 2021 we definitely want to win races. This is my goal. My motivation and my ambition is not to come here and not win. I hope that in the box some people share these goals with me. We need to react faster."
Laverty will leave the Shaun Muir Racing team after just one season with BMW. The Northern Irishman commented on his 2020: “From Magny-Cours onwards we haven't made great progress. Estoril was a track that didn't suit our bike well but we have to evaluate a few rounds ago. Even in Catalonia we brought home a good result in the race. Unfortunately it was a fairly short season with only eight rounds. I would have liked if there had been more races,” said the Northern Irishman.
On his plans for 2021, Laverty confirmed that he would like to continue with BMW next season, with the potential presence of a satellite team on the WorldSBK grid. “The season is already over – he said – and it's time to start thinking about 2021. At the moment I don't know what will be in my future. We worked a lot with this bike: we did some things well and some things less so. We have a clear idea, we know what direction our project should take. In 2021 I would like to continue with BMW but at the moment everything is vague."