The Frenchman fought for a long time at the gates of the Top 10 before making a mistake a few laps from the checkered flag.
Selected straight away in Superpole 2, Loris Baz set the eighth fastest time in qualifying despite grip-related problems. Sandwiched between Lorenzo Savadori and Chaz Davies on the third row of the grid, the Althea BMW Racing team driver quickly lost ground on the leading peloton before hostilities were interrupted on the third lap due to the fall of Micheal Ruben Rinaldi at turn 5.
Eighth at the start of a second race shortened to 16 laps, the French team was once again unable to do anything to keep up with the pace set by its rivals. In the wake of Toprak Razgatlioglu for tenth place, Loris Baz was trapped on the 12th lap in the penultimate corner of the Czech track. The BMW representative still managed to get back on the track to cross the finish line in 18th position.
Loris Baz, who will occupy tenth place on the grid for the second round, intends to make a clean sweep of this disappointment by trying to close the gap on Toprak Razgatlioglu, ninth in the general classification.
Loris Baz (Race 1 – 18th) : “I'm fine, I'm just disappointed. I gave everything I could. We tried many setups today, but we still suffer from dribbling and chattering. Even with the qualifying tire, I lack grip. The engine which is a little aggressive, the electronics which we still have to develop, and the grip complicate the situation. I still managed to set the eighth fastest time in qualifying, which is rather positive. I had a good first start. I felt comfortable behind Lorenzo Savadori before encountering some difficulties on the third lap. After which the race was stopped with a red flag. We took the opportunity to change a few settings and put on a new tire. Unfortunately, my feeling was no longer the same. Toprak Razgatlioglu quickly overtook me. While I had less and less grip, I had to compensate by using the front axle to follow him. I played with the bike's maps to try to be faster, but I lost the front by hitting a bump a little hard. It's my first mistake of the year in racing and, with everything I give in each event, these things happen. I am more disappointed by the difficulties we encounter than by the fall itself. We will try to find some solutions between now and Sunday to resolve some of our grip-related issues. It's frustrating, but as usual we will do our best. »
Loris Baz (FRA) GULF Althea BMW Racing Team BMW S1000RR Superbike WSBK Czech Republic 2018
