WSBK: BMW Eyes M1000RR Redemption After Tough 2026 Season

Despite a challenging 2026 World Superbike campaign, ROKiT BMW team boss Shaun Muir believes the M1000RR package remains strong enough to return to championship-winning form.

Subscribe to our Instagram channel for the latest info and news!

BMW is going through a difficult period in the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship after dominating the series in recent seasons with Toprak Razgatlioglu, but ROKiT BMW team manager Shaun Muir remains confident that the M1000RR has the potential to fight at the front again.

The German manufacturer has struggled for consistency this season, with a series of injuries affecting its leading riders. Miguel Oliveira and Danilo Petrucci currently sit 10th and 16th respectively in the championship standings ahead of this weekend’s races at Magny-Cours.

Oliveira has managed four podium finishes so far, but his campaign has been disrupted by serious and prolonged injuries. Petrucci, meanwhile, has found it difficult to adapt to BMW’s M1000RR and its existing base set-up.

BMW is also preparing for changes to its rider line-up for 2027. According to reports, the manufacturer is set to extend its contract with Oliveira for another three years, with the deal potentially structured as a two-year agreement with an option for a third season.

Petrucci, meanwhile, is expected to leave the BMW team at the end of the 2026 season after struggling to find his rhythm on the M1000RR.

Brad Binder is reportedly set to take the second seat alongside Oliveira in the ROKiT BMW factory team. The South African has been competing in Grand Prix racing since 2012 and won the Moto3 World Championship in 2016.

Binder progressed through the Moto2 ranks before stepping up to MotoGP with KTM. Since joining the premier class, the South African has secured two race victories and 11 podium finishes with the Austrian manufacturer.

While Binder has consistently shown strong pace, he has rarely had the advantage of competing on what could be considered the strongest bike on the MotoGP grid. His championship results in the premier class have been 11th, sixth, sixth, fourth, fifth and 11th.

BMW has yet to officially confirm its rider line-up for the 2027 season. The manufacturer reportedly chose not to make any major announcements during the summer break to avoid disrupting the team, while Binder’s existing contract with KTM also prevented the move from being confirmed earlier.

Interestingly, a move to BMW would reunite Oliveira and Binder as team-mates in 2027. The pair previously raced together under the KTM umbrella for three seasons, including two years as factory riders in 2021 and 2022.

Oliveira and Binder also hold a unique place in KTM’s MotoGP history, being the only two riders to have won premier-class races for the manufacturer. Oliveira has claimed five MotoGP victories, while Binder has two.

Oliveira entered MotoGP in 2019 with Tech3 KTM, where he shared the garage with Malaysia’s Hafizh Syahrin. He then partnered Iker Lecuona at the team during the 2020 season.

BMW believes M1000RR is stronger than results suggest 

Despite BMW’s disappointing championship position, Muir believes the team’s current results do not fully reflect the performance of its motorcycle.

“We mustn’t forget that we were champions for the past two years. Our package has improved and the bike is capable of more – we’ve proven that. Miguel knows how to solve his problems and has done so in the past. For Danilo, it’s much more difficult.

He’s struggling to adapt to our base set-up, which we know works. You have to give riders the necessary confidence in the bike; they need to be convinced that podium finishes are possible,” Muir said.

BMW used the lengthy summer break since mid-July to carry out an intensive testing programme involving both its regular riders and test team.

For Muir, the focus is now on rebuilding confidence and returning BMW to the level that saw the manufacturer claim back-to-back WorldSBK titles. “We’ve proven that we can do it, and we must return to that level as quickly as possible,” he said.

With the 2026 season entering its later stages, BMW will be hoping its development work and testing programme can translate into stronger results in the remaining races while also laying the foundation for a more competitive 2027 campaign.