Althea BMW Launch – WorldSBK 2016
Althea BMW Racing Team presents its line-up for the 2016 WSBK season in Civita Castellana (VT- Italy)
The Althea BMW Racing Team today opened the doors of the evocative “Moto dei Miti” Museum, owned by Genesio Bevilacqua and located next to the Racing Department, to host the presentation of its team together with BMW Motorrad Motorsport ahead of the 2016 season.
Thanks to the agreement between General Manager Genesio Bevilacqua and BMW Motorrad Motorsport, Althea Racing will compete this season with BMW S1000RR bikes, entrusting them to the young German talent Markus Reiterberger and to Spanish rider Jordi Torres in the Superbike World Championship, and to Italian rider Raffaele De Rosa in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup.
Technical direction of the teams will be tasked to Dutch engineer Jan Witteveen, a very well-known name in the sector with Witteveen already a part of motorcycling history.
Despite the winter break imposed by the race calendar, the Althea BMW Racing Team has not stopped since the final 2015 round in Qatar. Althea Racing’s award-winning technicians had a first chance to work together with technical staff provided by BMW Motorrad Motorsport during two days of private testing at Jerez de la Frontera and at their home track of Vallelunga.
Markus Reiterberger and Jordi Torres got to grips with their BMW S1000RR bikes, with results that left the whole team optimistic.
The historic roundel logo comes together with the new livery of Althea BMW Racing with its innovative black/white base, the new official team colours.
Last season, Markus Reiterberger, winner of the IDM Superbike Championship, already had the chance to compete in the Superbike World Championship, participating as a wildcard entry at both Magny-Cours and Misano, on board the BMW S1000RR.
Jordi Torres meanwhile arrives from an extraordinary World Superbike race win, achieved at the final round of Qatar, and a solid fifth place finish in the overall standings.
Raffaele De Rosa, who was already an Althea Racing rider, begins the 2016 season strengthened by the 6 podiums he achieved over 8 races in the 2015 edition of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup.
Taking to the stage today were General Manager Genesio Bevilacqua, followed by engineer Jan Witteveen, Technical Director. Together with them, the two Superbike riders Markus Reiterberger and Jordi Torres and Superstock 1000 rider Raffaele de Rosa. Michel Fabrizio also took part, in his role as test rider and manager of the Althea junior squad.
“We are ready to face the challenges of the upcoming Superbike World Championship with great enthusiasm – confirmed Nicolò Gasparin, Executive Vice President Reserve & Mobility Power Solutions at FIAMM – and are strengthened by the bond we have created with Team Althea, which is further reinforced this year thanks to the iconic BMW brand, synonymous with technological excellence and sporting spirit.
“FIAMM has always believed in motorsports as a vehicle to promote its brand in Italy and abroad, and invests in the Superbike championship because this class uses production-derived machines that are therefore very similar to models that the passionate motorcycling community can purchase and equip with FIAMM technologies. This year, Team Althea can count on very competitive riders who have a winning spirit. All of the preconditions for success are in place.”
The team will be at Vallelunga for its third private test session on 23 and 24 January, before flying to Phillip Island (Australia) for the two official test days (22-23 February) taking place prior to the opening round of the season.
GENESIO BEVILACQUA – General Manager Althea BMW Racing Team
“I’m so pleased to be able to pair the Althea brand with that of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, as together they form a new reference for BMW for the coming seasons. We know that the task ahead is a significant one and are aware that the competition we will be facing on track will be stiff and well prepared.
“The precious support of BMW combined with our experience, which has seen us frontrunners in recent seasons of the factory-derived championship, will surely allow us to be competitive right from the first race. We of course expect to need a little time in which to get the measure of the situation and collate the necessary references, but the riders, technicians and engineers that our team brings to the track are capable of being major players and crave the successes that team Althea has enjoyed during its long and glorious history.”
MARKUS REITERBERGER – SBK Rider #21
“I can say that I’ve been in a proper relationship with the BMW S1000RR since 2011. We have already won a lot together but to be able to experience the Superbike World Championship for the first time makes me proud and eager to begin.
“The white and black livery of the Althea BMW Racing Team is very aggressive; I’m excited and proud to wear these colours, which also mean I carry great responsibility. I don’t want to make any predictions for the season, but I admit I’m hungry to win.”
JORDI TORRES – SBK Rider #81
“I’ve only recently arrived in the Althea BMW Racing Team, but I already feel part of the family: each and every member of the team is passionate and competent when it comes to bikes and motorcycling and their expectations are high.
“I tested the BMW S1000RR for the first time during testing at Jerez de la Frontera in November and then in Vallelunga and I immediately had great sensations. There is still work to do, but there is enormous potential. Unveiling my bike today was really emotional and I know I’ll definitely have fun with her on track.”
RAFFAELE DE ROSA – STK1000 Rider #35
“I have just completed an incredible season with Althea Racing in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, achieving six podium finishes in eight races, definitely the best season of my career so far. I didn’t quite achieve a win but I’m going to do my best to start this year from where I left off, repaying the renewed faith that Genesio Bevilacqua and the team is putting in me.
“The BMW S1000RR is a completely new bike for me, but I was immediately at ease and surprised in terms of how easy it is to use the engine and its incredible manoeuvrability.”
JAN WITTEVEEN – Technical Director
“I’m very pleased about this project with team Althea and the collaboration with BMW Motorrad Motorsport, because it is a project with great potential. It will probably take a little time to reach the technical level that we have set ourselves but we have the right riders with us, and the right balance between experience and exploitable potential.”
Althea Racing Team Success
- 2010 – Third place in the Superbike World Championship.
- 2011 – Superbike World Champion with Rider Carlos Checa.
Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Champion with Rider Davide Giugliano
Superbike Manufacturer’s Champion.
Superstock Manufacturer’s Champion. - 2012 – Fourth place in the Superbike World Championship.
- 2013 – Sixth place in the Superbike World Championship with the factory Aprilia RSV4.
- 2014 – Runner-up in the EVO category with the Ducati Panigale 1199 EVO.
- 2015 – Third place in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup with the Ducati Panigale 1199R.
Ninth place in the Superbike World Championship with the Ducati Panigale 1199 RS.
Over the last five years, Althea Racing has achieved the following results in Superbike:
- 22 Race wins.
- 9 Second places.
- 11 Third places.
- 9 Superpoles.
- 27 Fastest laps.
- 1886 Points.
Superstock 1000 FIM Cup:
- 4 Race wins.
- 6 Second places.
- 3 Third places.
- 5 Fastest laps.
- 3 Pole positions.
- 308 Points.
