The stage is set for the second round of the FIM Endurance World Championship 2021 (FIM EWC): This Saturday (17th July) BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team will take on the 12-hour race at Estoril, Portugal. After third place on the podium at the season opener, the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) in June, Werner Daemen’s team is confident ahead of the second endurance race with the new #37 BMW M 1000 RR.
The #37 M RR will be ridden by Markus Reiterberger (GER), Xavi Forés (ESP) and Kenny Foray (FRA), the fourth rider of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, at Estoril. Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR) will be in action in the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM) at the Nürburgring (GER) at the same time. Forés was recently forced to sit out races after injuring his wrist in the British Superbike Championship (BSB) but was able to take part in the Estoril test rides without any restrictions on Tuesday, and was given the go-ahead to race at the weekend by the official FIM race doctors on late Tuesday afternoon. Eugene Laverty (IRL) was on hand just in case Forés was unable to ride, which is why he also completed test laps on the #37 BMW M 1000 RR on Tuesday.
Last year the 12-hour race in Estoril was held as the season finale in September. From third on the grid, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team took an early lead and broke away from the pack. After a fall and ensuing repair break, the team battled its way back up the field from 19th place to finish the race in seventh place.
In addition to BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, privateers BMW Team LRP Poland will also be in action at Estoril with the #90 BMW S 1000 RR.