Scott Redding, BMW’s big Hollywood signing of the 2022 WorldSBK season to partner Michael van der Mark, had a horrible start to the actual racing season in round one at Motorland Aragon, leaving with a single point.
For a rider used to winning in BSB and WorldSBK on Ducatis this was not so much a wake up call as an alarm call.
Things just had to be better at Assen, and they were after just one race. He was ninth, albeit over a second a lap slower than the leaders.
“The race itself had some good areas,” said Redding at the track. “In the middle of the race, I was able to start catching the group in front.
“But, after attacking for five, six laps, I destroyed the front tyre. So then the last six laps was like survival for me. I dropped a lot in the lap time. It was a shame because I was having pace to catch the guys a bit in front.
“At the start of the race, I couldn’t get off the line very well, so I dropped back a couple of positions when I’m already far back. I don’t need to have more of that. So, it made it difficult. I think I lost four seconds on the first lap. It’s too much. That also came from the qualifying. There was a miscommunication when we went out with the second tyre, then it wasn’t really working so well. Sometimes when it’s rough, it’s always a bit rough. So, we just need to get the ball rolling and smooth things out.
“In the end, the middle of the race, I was able to do something, so it was a bit of a relief for me that I could push a bit. We’ll try tomorrow to fix the tyre so I can push all the race and see what we can do.”
Redding confirmed that no changes had taken place to his bike since Motorland, making his ninth place in race one a simple rider/bike/team improvement.
“The bike is the same as Aragon. There’s nothing different. We’ll see in Estoril. It will be a bit different circuit, but this place is suiting the bike more anyway. There is nothing really different. It’s the same for the past. When I come here, it’s a bit better.”
Asked if all the BMW riders - a group of four with basically the same bikes, albeit with two riders suffering injuries - were having the same issue, or was it different problems, Redding stated, “A lot of it is the same. Some riders maybe can manage it a bit different to others.
“My riding style is quite unique, should I say. When it works, it works. If it doesn’t work, it can be quite a negative. Loris (Baz, sixth in race one at Motorland) I think is a bit of all-around type of guy. But we just need to make the engine more rideable. That’s our biggest problem, is trying to keep it smooth, trying to get the power to the tyre, and then go forward. So, that’s our weak point, at the moment.”
