News

Even though the start of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup season is still over a month away, the top teams have been making preparations to make sure they are ready to race for real points when they arrive at Assen on April 17.

None more so than the Garnier alpha Racing BMW team, which will field three riders in total in 2011. They have recently completed a two-day test at Valencia and the new look team features Aussie rider Beau Beaton, Markus Reiterberger from Germany and French rider Randy Pagaud (photo).

Team owner Michel Garnier explained his rider choices and why he was so satisfied with the results of the first big test. "Everything went well, this is the best group I have ever had since I started racing so I am confident for this new season."

Beaton comes on the recommendation of no less than former SBK rider Steve Martin, a fact that helped Garnier make up his mind to sign him for 2011. He gave his appraisal of all his new signings after getting the chance to work with them all together for the first time.

"Beau is a good rider. He is fast and very dedicated. He knows well the technical aspect of motorcycle racing and this is important. We could immediately feel that he wants good results. Markus is very fast. He is impressive. He was really pushing hard in Valencia, but he rode always clean, never crashing. The advice of such a great champion as Ralf Waldmann is a great help for him, and also for the whole team. Randy is a serious person and a hard worker. He is well balanced intellectually. At Valencia, after searching for a solution to a problem, he finally found it and went more than one second faster. Altogether, this is a good team."