Kamenz, Germany. The Penz13.com BMW Motorrad Racing Team has presented its outfits for the 2017 Road Racings such as the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy this last weekend. High profile new arrival to the German team is Manxman Dan Kneen. The 29-year-old from Douglas, Isle of Man, will be riding BMW S 1000 RR bikes at all the road races Team Penz13.com BMW Motorrad Racing is taking part in the 2017 season. Joined by Danny Webb and Italian Alessandro “Alex” Polita, the team will field three racers in its campaign.
The 2017 racing schedule sees team Penz13.com taking part in the “300 zatácek Gustava Havla” (20.-21. May) and the Isle of Man TT races (27. May to 09. June), with further road races at Imatra, Finnland, Frohburg, Germany, and Macau to follow.
Since his TT debut in 2009 Kneen is a regular Top-15 finisher in the Isle of Man TT races. He reached that no less than 26 times with a best finish of 5th in the 2010 Supersport TT. Kneen first tackled his home track in the 2008 Manx Grand Prix to become the first rider ever to achieve 3 race wins as a newcomer during that fortnight. Kneen also has countless wins in the Irish- and Ulster-Superbike championships and is gunning for more glory.
Webb is staying for another season with the German Penz13.com team to build on the successes he achieved during the first year with them. Webb is relatively new to the big 1000cc bikes, coming from 125cc and Moto3™ championships, with his last Grand Prix appearance so far being the 2016 Sachsenring Grand Prix for Mahindra. Webb raced Grand Prix on a permanent base from 2007 to 2012 and then began to approach the roads on the big bikes. The now 25-year-old will have his third proper go at the TT having debuted in 2014 and only entering the Lightweight class in 2015. Since 2016 on a Penz-BMW, Webb is keen to better his so far best result on the 1000’s with a P26 in last year’s Senior TT. In the Lightweight class e shined in 2015 with a 10th spot.
Italian Alessandro Polita will be facing his second TT after having debuted with Team Penz13.com in 2016. The 32-year-old won the 2007 FIM Superstock 1000 Championship and raced a total of 22 WorldSBK starts. In 4 years in STK1000 Polita earned a total of 16 podiums out of 38 races with 5 wins amongst them. Polita constantly bettered his Mountain Course pace during the 2016 meeting.
Dan Kneen – Rider:
“I am really happy to be joining the Penz13.com BMW Motorrad Racing Team for 2017 as I know what a professional outfit they are. Meeting all the guys at the team launch only confirmed that for me. They are all up for a good time but take the racing side serious which is what it is all about for me. Penz are very experienced in road racing as well as in the FIM Endurance World Championship so they obviously know what they are doing and I am confident that the bikes I will be riding will be very competitive, so I am looking forward to getting started.”
Danny Webb – Rider:
“I am very happy to continue my path with the Penz13.com BMW Motorrad Racing Team for another year. It was a steep learning curve for me in 2016 and I am looking forward to build upon that. I am also looking forward to the new adventures at Horice and Imatra, especially the Finnland race looked quite spectacular last year, so I am looking forward to that. I got more and more time on the big bikes now and I hope to improve myself further at the TT and all the other races and I thank the whole Penz-bunch for giving me a competitive ride another season.”
Alessandro Polita – Rider:
“Last year it was my dream to accomplish a TT and I did so. It was a mega feeling to lap the Snaefell Mountain Course and I got quicker and quicker during the 2016 fortnight. I am now happy to be given the chance by Penz13.com BMW Motorrad Racing for another go at the TT as well as at other road races in 2017. I hope to better my skills on the real roads further and I know I have the best possible preconditions to do so in the team I am in.”
Rico Penzkofer – Team Principal:
“We have been in talks with Dan Kneen for quite a couple of years now but it never came together, so we are more than happy he is joining us for the 2017 road racings. His record of Top-15 finishes at the TT is incredible and Dan is as hungry for the next step as we are. He is a proper Manxman and will be prepared for the fortnight in a best possible way – he knows the track like no other. I am also happy to keep Danny Webb and Alessandro Polita on board. As I always said: Danny has a bright future in road racing ahead and proved that with the permanent progress he is doing, so we might have to watch out for some highlights with him this year. Alex will go into his second TT and already had a brilliant newcomer year in 2016. He is hungry to do more but in a second year at this track there is no need to having any pressure for results. He is supposed to go out there and have some safe fun.”