BMW Motorrad France looking to repeat podium success at Oschersleben Eupen, Belgium: This weekend BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent head to the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, venue for the 8 Hours of Oschersleben, the third and penultimate round of the 2013 Endurance World Championship. BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent has endured a difficult season so far, with crashes forcing the team out of the opening two rounds of the 2013 Endurance World Championship at Magny-Cours and Suzuka. However, the team head to Oschersleben with renewed confidence, as Damian Cudlin, Sébastien Gimbert and Erwan Nigon will be reunited aboard the #99 BMW S1000RR for the first time this season in Germany. Cudlin, Gimbert and Nigon have twice finished runners up in the Endurance World Championship for BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent, but commitments in the CIV and IDM Superbike Championships means that this weekend’s 8 Hours of Oschersleben is the first race for which all three riders have been available. The aim for all three riders is clear; to finish in the points and, if the situation allows, to push to give the BMW S1000RR its first World Championship win on home soil this weekend in Oschersleben. Damian Cudlin: “After the disappointment of Suzuka, we all want to get back to our winning ways at Oschersleben. For me, racing in Germany is special. German Speedweek, of which the 8 Hours of Oschersleben forms a part, is probably my favourite endurance event on the calendar and I can always rely on plenty of support there. My injuries from Suzuka have healed pretty well and I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike. Everyone in the team is hungry to win this weekend and I know that me, Erwan and Sébastien will be pushing hard to make that happen.” Erwan Nigon: “The result at Suzuka was disappointing, but it was clear that we’d made a big step with the speed of the bike, which will stand us in good stead in the remaining two races. So far we’ve scored no points this season, and that needs to change in Oschersleben. This weekend our overriding goal must be to finish, not attack straight from the start and risk everything. At the halfway point of the race we can look to see if a win is on the cards and, if it is, then we can start pushing. At the very least we need to leave Germany with a hatful of points, preferably as a result of a podium finish.” Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal “With no points at the opening two rounds, at Oschersleben we must show that we can win. While it’s important that we finish the race this weekend, it’s equally important that we pick up as many points as possible. It’s not easy balancing the need for results against risk, but in Damian, Sébastien and Erwan we have three experienced riders who are more than capable of doing exactly that this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad HP Race Support: EWC: Home round for BMW Motorrad HP RaceSupport. Munich specialists support the BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent at the “Eight Hours of Oschersleben” this weekend. Oschersleben/Munich, 14th August 2013. The specialists from BMW Motorrad HP RaceSupport prepare for their home round of the 2013 FIM Endurance World Championship. The “Eight Hours of Oschersleben” at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben (GER) mark the third and penultimate round of the season. BMW Motorrad HP RaceSupport will be on site again to back its partner BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent. This time, Erwan Nigon (FRA), Damian Cudlin (AUS) and Sébastien Gimbert (FRA) will be reunited to share duties on the #99 BMW S 1000 RR. The trio has been very successful in the past, twice finishing runner up in the EWC for BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent, but commitments in the Italian CIV and the International German Motorcycle Championship, IDM means that this weekend’s “Eight Hours of Oschersleben” is the first race for which all three riders have been available. The squad has endured a difficult season so far. However, the team heads to Oschersleben with renewed confidence. The aim for all three riders is clear; to finish in the points and, if the situation allows, to push to give the RR its first World Championship win on home soil. “While it’s important that we finish the race this weekend, it’s equally important that we pick up as many points as possible”, said Team Principal Michael Bartholemy. “It’s not easy balancing the need for results against risk, but in Damian, Sébastien and Erwan we have three experienced riders who are more than capable of doing exactly that this weekend.” “We all want to get back to our winning ways at Oschersleben”, confirmed Damian Cudlin. “For me, racing in Germany is special. ‘German Speedweek’, of which the ‘Eight Hours of Oschersleben’ forms a part, is probably my favourite endurance event on the calendar and I can always rely on plenty of support there. My injuries from Suzuka have healed pretty well and I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike. Everyone in the team is hungry to be successful this weekend and I know that me, Erwan and Sébastien will be pushing hard to make that happen.” “The result at Suzuka was disappointing, but it was clear that we’d made a big step with the speed of the bike, which will stand us in good stead in the remaining two races”, added Nigon. “This weekend our overriding goal must be to finish, not attack straight from the start and risk everything. At the halfway point of the race we can look to see if a win is on the cards and, if it is, then we can start pushing. At the very least we need to leave Germany with a hatful of points, preferably as a result of a podium finish.” “We are looking forward to our home round at Oschersleben,” commented Berthold Hauser, General Manager BMW Motorrad HP RaceSupport. “We have all reason to be confident. Erwan, Sébastien and Damian have celebrated victories with the RR in the past and over the last rounds we have seen that also this year, we have a fast and competitive package. We hope that at Oschersleben, we will get the rewards for the hard work of the team and our specialists in continuously further developing the bike. All we need is a trouble-free weekend. Then, a strong result will come automatically.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: SERT READY FOR GERMAN WORLD ENDURANCE World Endurance Championship leaders Suzuki Endurance Racing Team start practice for the Oschersleben 8-Hour race in Germany tomorrow with a narrow three-point lead in the series after two rounds. The 12-times World Champions are one of 12 Suzuki GSX-R1000-mounted teams entered for Saturday’s race at the 3,667m circuit that has attracted a total of 40 World Endurance and Superstock teams. SERT riders Vincent Philippe, Anthony Delhalle and Julien Da Costa, who finished third at the season-opening Bol d’Or in France in April; and then followed-up with fourth at the Suzuka 8-Hour in Japan last month, hold a narrow advantage over Monster Energy YART (49 points to 46) with Yamaha France GMT94 on 42 and SRC Kawasaki a further two behind. In the Superstock Class, GSX-R1000-mounted Junior Team LMS Suzuki – Baptiste Guittet, Etienne Masson and Gregg Black – aim for a repeat of the team’s victory at the Bol d’Or, but face stiff opposition from 2012 Superstock Champions Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team on its BMW, plus 2012 Oschersleben race winners Team Motors Events April Moto (Suzuki GSX-R1000).