Redding pleads BMW for clutch upgrade; ‘I think I deserve it’

In what’s quickly becoming a WorldSBK season to forget for Redding and BMW, Misano again highlighted severe issues that’s leading to the German manufacturer being the fifth best outfit on the grid.

A constant theme through the opening four rounds has been Redding suffering at the start of races, in particular off the start-line as clutch problems are persisting for the ex-Ducati rider, despite the team taking part in a one-day test prior to Misano - working specifically in this area. 

After losing places at the start of all three races in Misano, Redding was able to make his way back up the order thanks to solid race pace, which was also the case in Estoril, however, progress stopped when he came across the leading runners. 

"BMW experienced a difficult weekend here last year so we came in and used it as a bit of testing," said Redding. "Actually I was able to carry on the pace from Estoril; that’s not too bad. 

"To be honest, in the races, we had quite a good race pace to be in sixth or seventh position but I struggled all weekend getting off the start line – I did not get one good start, and it’s very important to get away on the first laps but I was going back to 16th, 17th or maybe 18th and then you are battling with the guys and lose five seconds on the first two laps." 

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‘I deserve’ better says 2020 WorldSBK runner-up Redding

Scorer of eight top five finishes at the same stage last season, including two victories in Aragon and Estoril, Redding has just one top five result so far in 2022 which came in race two at Assen - the same race where Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea crashed out from the lead. 

And although Redding is consistently out-performing other BMW riders, the Brit is still not where his talent and previous results suggest he should be. 

Redding continued: "What was positive from the weekend was we had consistent race pace; that was quite good for us and I am feeling again a step better on the bike but we really need to bring some things that allow me to get off the start to be there. I think I deserve it. 

"We have been working well, we have the pace but we give it away at the start so simple things that need to be fixed. 

"We have a bit of a break now and I hope for Donington we will have a solution and keep going from there."

Loris Baz frustrated by clutch issues, but this time at the end of the race

While Baz has shown good speed at times this season, the Frenchman had a weekend to forget in Misano. Clutch and brake problems in both feature races and a crash in the Superpole race meant just seven points were scored by the Bonovo Action BMW rider. 

"It has been a difficult weekend. It started with bad luck and it seemed like this bad luck was just following all weekend," Baz said. "I am sad also for the guys in the team, because all the mechanics, everybody works so hard. 

"In the Superpole race I did not have a great feeling after technical issues in the warm-up, and in this race, the top nine is the only thing we are looking for to have points. I was tenth or 11th and I tried it, pushed too hard and crashed. 

"Then I tried again in race two, like I never really gave up this weekend, but the maximum we could do was P10. I had some issues again with the clutch and the brakes but I managed to bring some points for the guys. 

"Until the clutch issue came up on the final laps, it was not too bad, I was not too far away from Scott. Now we try again at Donington; we never give up."