Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport officially launched its second season in the FIM Superbike World Championship with a presentation at BMW Group Classic in Munich on Friday.

Ben Spies and Yamaha made history today, claiming the first ever Word Superbike title for the Yamaha World Superbike Team. In yet another Ben Spies Masterclass of riding, The American rookie sensation took a race win and a well executed fifth place finish to lift the title for Yamaha for the first time.

Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Ruben Xaus underwent a successful operation on his right femur at the Centro Medico Teknon hospital in Barcelona yesterday and is already looking forward to starting his physiotherapy and rehabilitation. The operation was carried out by surgeons Dr Miquel Llobet and Dr Miguel Sales and involved the insertion of three screws into the femur and went as smoothly as possible.

The work done away from the track, together with the recent successful Italian tests, all added up to Brno being the best weekend of the season to date. Troy finished a superb fifth in race one, after leading the first couple of laps, and followed that up with a tenth in race two, despite tyre problems.

Ruben had qualified alongside Troy on the second row of the grid and was looking forward to him and Troy challenging the leaders in both the 20-lap races. But, a crash on the opening lap of the first race put paid to any chance of glory and left Ruben in the medical centre.

The two day official tests in Imola saw an improvement in BMW’s fortunes, with Ruben Xaus ending seventh quickest overall and just one tenth of a second or so off Ben Spies in third place. Both Ruben and Troy had new spec engines here, but Troy’s engine blew a head gasket yesterday and he had to go back to the older engine for the afternoon and today. Ruben used the new spec engine yesterday and today and, like Troy, found the bike easier to ride and control. Both riders are now looking forward to having the new spec engines for the Brno round on 26th July.

Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Ruben Xaus and Troy Corser ended the first day of qualifying with the 14th and 15th fastest times, but are only a second or so away from the provisional pole setter. Ruben and Troy tested at Monza a month ago and began today by using the set-ups they found then, but their bikes did not work as well or in same way. So once again today was all about working with different set-ups, trying different ideas and finding the right direction for tomorrow.

Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Troy Corser enjoyed one of the most consistent racedays of the season so far, taking a superb pair of top ten finishes at Assen today. Despite problems in Superpole qualifying, a lowly grid position and a painful left hand, Troy battled his way throughout the two 22-lappers.