BMW MOTORRAD ITALIA GOLDBET SBK TEAM - SYLVAIN BARRIER 2012 FIM SUPERSTOCK 1000 CUP CHAMPION

French rider Sylvain Barrier was crowned champion at the season finale of the 2012 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup at Magny-Cours (FRA). For his BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet SBK Team it was the second title win in three years competing in the series, after the triumphant season with Ayrton Badovini (ITA) back in 2010.  

In the season’s ten races, 23-year old Sylvain celebrated four victories, which was more than any other rider. In total, the Frenchman rode his BMW S 1000 RR to six podium finishes and claimed seven pole positions. Over the course of the year, he also showed his spirit to never give up. He fought his way back to the top after a setback halfway through the season when he suffered a severe shoulder injury that put him a long way back in his title campaign. At the penultimate round two weeks ago at Portimão (POR), Sylvain retook the lead by finishing the race in second. He arrived with an advantage of three points to his closest rival at the season finale on home soil. At the last race of the year he secured the title by claiming another podium and finishing second. The first to congratulate him straight after the finish line was his mentor, double Superbike world champion James Toseland (GBR).  

“I still cannot believe I won the title,” Sylvain enthused. “The hard work done with the team throughout the season has paid off and I want to thank the guys, my family, James, the Clinica Mobile and everyone who supported me during the year. It was a tough race, but I was feeling very comfortable on the bike from the warm-up. I rode very carefully on the first two laps because the rear tyre was not warmed up properly and also Eddi La Marra and Bryan Staring had already crashed. I tried to maintain the gap I had with the following riders and at the same I concentrated on making the tyres work properly and did not push to the limit. It's been a fabulous week-end and I am over the moon!”  

“The result achieved today in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup is amazing,” said Andrea Buzzoni, General Manager BMW Motorrad Italia. “We built on our success from 2010 and won the title again thanks to a very high-level team, a rider of unquestionable talent – who was able to grow and mature even more – and a bike that proved once more to be the best not only in the worldwide market but also on track.”  

“We’re extremely happy about Sylvain’s Superstock 1000 Cup title win, especially if we consider the fact that three rounds ago we were 31 points behind in the standings,” commented Serafino Foti, BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet Superbike Team Sporting Director. “The credit for this achievement goes to all the people who supported us, to our sponsors, to BMW and especially to the team that has done an incredible job. Sylvain brilliantly kept total concentration in both tough and important times and very well deserved the title.”