From MotoGP to WSBK, the tough competition shows that reputation and means are no guarantee of results and success. We see it in Grand Prix with a leading world manufacturer Honda last in its class and we see it in WSBK, especially since the start of this season, with the own coat of arms on him BMW which nevertheless taints its reputation with an M1000RR far from the mark. One of its former drivers, Chaz Davies, analyzed the situation of the Bavarian manufacturer whose philosophy of relying only on itself and its system would have put it in a rut. In its approach, BMW would almost be the most Japanese of European manufacturers...
Scott Redding is today a linchpin of the factory Ducati behind the scenes and at the service of the drivers after having served the coat of arms for many seasons on the track front. But he was also a pilot BMW in 2013, as a team member of Marco Melandri. Even if the time is distant, the Welshman remembers the cogs that made the German team work. A work of memory whose first consequence is to completely absolve the drivers of the brand to explain this calamitous start to the season with an M1000RR of which we nevertheless promised mountains and wonders.
Public chat Motoracing, Chaz Davies thus removes the doubt: “ Redding and van der Mark have already achieved podiums in the past. They are in the situation where they have to take a step and so far they have not succeeded. ". Focusing on Redding, with whom he was teammates at Ducati in 2020, he adds: “ BMW took him after two years of fighting for the title. Scott had a frustrating year because the package wasn't where it needed to be. If that had been the case, he would have fought to win every race. I guarantee it » Chaz therefore has no doubt about the value of his former teammate.
Chaz Davies: “if you're in trouble you need to look around"
So we have to look elsewhere for the causes of the slump, which amounts to questioning the working method at BMW. A European manufacturer whose spirit of openness and sense of questioning would be as little developed as a Japanese manufacturer in MotoGP… “ When a manufacturer goes through a difficult period, and don't know what to do to take the next step, the first thing to do is to hire a top driver. BMW did it by investing a lot of money in Scott » explains the Briton.
« But things haven't worked out yet. We must therefore question ourselves and give them the tools to win. The driver does not argue and it is difficult to ask him for the same motivation as when he joined the team. Scott is a fighter and will be motivated if given what he needs » he adds, thus making himself the ardent advocate of his compatriot.
But the former WorldSBK rider also gives this valuable advice to the German team: “ if you are struggling, you need to look around and see who is available to hire key figures on the different teams. At BMW, I haven't seen this. There are no people taken from Kawasaki, Yamaha or Ducati. These three manufacturers have been at the forefront of Superbike for many years and have data that can help BMW ». Most BMW Is he the type to accept the need for help from outside?
