Van der Mark to miss WorldSBK season opener

BMW’s Michael van der Mark will not compete in the opening round of WorldSBK at Motorland Aragon next weekend.

Van der Mark has taken the decision to not participate in the 2022 season opener of the FIM Superbike World Championship after surgery to stabilise the fracture on his right leg.

The Dutchman suffered the fracture to his lower right leg during a training accident on his mountain bike last month, with initial external fixation replaced by internal plates and screws last week.

“It has been a difficult decision but unfortunately I will not try to ride at MotorLand Aragón,” van der Mark confirmed. “At this moment we have to be smart and stay calm because this is the only way forward in my recovery.

“The incident with my mountain bike happened just over two weeks ago now and luckily, I had a surgery last week with which the recovery started. That makes you a bit happier mentally although you know it’s a long way to go, but I am making good progress day by day. My goal is to be back on the bike as soon as possible, but we have to be realistic.

“Of course, I want to ride my bike. I miss my bike; I miss working with the guys so I want race but we have to be sure that if I do that I will not be in trouble for the rest of the year. Right now my goal is to be fit again as soon as possible.”

Fresh from testing at Le Mans in preparation for the 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship - which commences on April 16th with the 24 Heures Motos at the same venue - and racing in the Spanish Superbike Championship (ESBK) at Jerez de la Frontera this weekend, BMW Motorrad works rider Ilya Mikhalchik will stand in for the injured van der Mark in WorldSBK across the coming week.

Having already completed the final private Barcelona test