WSBK 2024: Rea replaces Toprak?!

From what I’ve read and been told the BMW has never been accused of lacking power.

Second and third hand heard it has lacked about everything else. think Honda motogp bike.

 

If anyone can make the BMW work, it'll be Toprak. He seems like the epitome of "make lemonade" kinda guy. Not sure how well he is with providing feedback for longer term development though.

 

Anyone know what's happening with Camier after 2024? Saw this was last year as team manager.

 

Pretty sure he's gone after the next test so technically he won't even be there for 23'. Gotta wonder if HRC had some big plans down the pipe and he failed to secure better riders.

 

I'm wondering this myself. BMW is still in the building/development phase, and there are still many kinks to work out (evident in Toprak's recent test where he missed a lot due to a technical issue). He is the perfect guy to push the bike to the limits but as we saw with Honda in GP, the fastest and most talented rider is never going to be the best bike developer. Those riders find ways to go faster regardless of the machine. I still think he will help BMW gain another step though by extracting more potential from the bike than anyone else thus far.

 

BMW isn't fucking around. Sylvain Guintoli and Bradley Smith just announced as the BMW M1000RR test riders. Sylvain will also be one on the BMW Endurance team riders.

 

Bradley Smith? the ex Tech-3 and Yamaha GP rider?
Didn't he have a short lived stint as an Aprilia development/test rider? What has he done lately?

 

The ginger with the bad teeth, LOL. I think he even went to Moto-E and didn't do much there?

 

I wonder how much difference Guintoli can make between now and the start of the season?

 

I don’t remember him having bad teeth. I think he was one of those ultra gingers with freckles that carried over to his teeth.
He’s bald as all f now.

 

Guntoli was Suzuki MotoGP test rider. He knows how to develop a bike. This is a step in the right direction for BMW.

 

That's awesome. Looking forward to things for BMW.