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. The event was also a perfect opportunity to launch the collaboration with rider Emiliano Malagoli, who is eager to face the season with the ‘Diversamente Disabili’ organisation for the disabled, and who will have a BMW S1000RR Stock made available to him in an Althea BMW Racing Team version.
The event concluded with the unveiling of the three BMW S1000RR bikes in their 2016 livery.

For the second consecutive year, official sponsor FIAMM confirms its key role with Team Althea.
 
“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.”