Munich/Stephanskirchen, 16th December 2010. BMW Motorrad Motorsport is preparing the ground for future success in the Superbike World Championship. Two months after the appointment of Bernhard Gobmeier as BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director, further changes are being made to key positions within the team. Rainer Bäumel (44), formerly the team’s Technical Director, takes up the newly created post of Head of Race Operations with immediate effect. Stephan Fischer (43) becomes the new Head of Development for BMW Motorrad Motorsport, while Josef Hofmann (54) is appointed Managing Director of the Stephanskirchen factory. All three report directly to BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Bernhard Gobmeier. “In filling these three key positions we are concluding the restructuring of the team management,” explains BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Bernhard Gobmeier. “The new formation is leaner and the division of labour more clearly delineated. Rainer Bäumel will now control trackside operations and take responsibility for the deployment of the race team, while Head of Development Stephan Fischer will be in charge of further development of the BMW S1000RR. This brings with it a much closer interlocking with colleagues in series production development than was previously the case. Josef Hofmann, as Managing Director of alpha Racing, will head up the factory in Stephanskirchen and take care of logistics, personnel and finance.” In mid-January, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport will be bound for Australia. The next winter tests are scheduled for 26th to 28th January in Eastern Creek, before the team behind Troy Corser (AUS) and Leon Haslam (GBR) resume testing on Phillip Island on 2nd and 3rd February. Immediately before the season opens there on 27th February, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport will be able to measure themselves against the other World Championship contenders for the first time at the final official Infront test held at the same track on 21st and 22nd February.