ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK hosted a team launch event in Berlin for the upcoming 2025 season.
A new version of the M 1000 RR was unveiled and it was confirmed that Toprak Razgatlioglu will run the number one.
New regulations are set to impact BMW’s package, and it was confirmed that Razgatlioglu will miss at least the Jerez test, and potentially the Portimao test as he suffered an injury to his right index finger, crucial for his signature braking style.
“Normally I wouldn’t use #1, but I did this for BMW, this is a really big team accomplishment, we worked really hard and now we are World Champions,” said Razgatlioglu. “I can feel improvements in the grip, it doesn’t feel super different, but with the new fairing I feel the bike being even more agile, to me this is a big step.”
Toprak suffered a broken bone in his right index finger earlier this offseason, and while it appears not to be serious, his BMW team are making no rush for his return to the track.
“Toprak will not attend Jerez, and at the moment it’s 50/50 whether or not he will come to Portimao because of how short the time is between the two,” said Shaun Muir, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team Principal. “It’s such a critical part of his right index finger which is his primary braking hand, so we don’t want to rush this, worst case is Monday in Australia, best case is limited testing in Portimao.”
Teammate Michael Van der Mark, on the other hand, is free of injury, after struggling to maintain his race fitness throughout 2022 and 2023. In 2024, he placed sixth in the rider championship.
“We’ve been building a lot of momentum the last year, we ended the season so strong, and now with the bike new and improved, we should be there from the start,” said Van der Mark. “I have a lot of confidence, and of course Phillip Island is different, but I think we are stronger than last year. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Sven Blusch, BMW Motorrad Director was enthusiastic to get the season rolling.
“It’s a different mindset we have now, from being the hunters, to now being the hunted, so far it feels really good,” said Blusch. “I think if you come in as the Champion you always want to be the Champion again, there’s the Manufacturers’ Championship as well, which we were not able to win last year, and now we are going for sure for both, we are going all-in.”
Team Principal, Shaun Muir made clear that while his BMW garage is highly confident in the talent of their riders and team, goals as high as winning both the Riders’ and Manufacturers’ competitions will be no easy task with the other teams they will be facing off against on the track.
“The fuel flow regulation is going to make in impact for everybody, we don’t underestimate the opposition at all, we know the strength of the other manufacturers,” said Muir. “ We know specifically riders like Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro [Bautista] (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) are going to be very strong, so we don’t underestimate our competition and have full respect for their abilities.”
BMW will compete with a new and improved M1000RR in 2025. Chris Gonschor, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team’s Technical Director illustrated how his team are adjusting to a new bike as well as new regulations and the absence of last year’s superconcessions which his team was granted.
“The 2025 M 1000 RR benefits from homologations made to the street bike, including six more horsepower, new aerodynamics, a new fairing and new electronics, adding potential for even more improvements.” Said Gonschor “At the end of January, FIM officials are coming to Berlin to fully homologate the bike, and we have no doubt that everything will be sorted, and by Phillip Island we will be ready to race.”
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