SBK, LATEST: Reiterberger steps down, De Rosa to replace him

The Superbikes are already prepping for Assen, but there's a twist to the plot. Via a press release, team Althea has announced that Markus Reiterberger will not take part in the rest of the championship.

According to the release, following last year's accident the German rider never recovered fully.  Fractures to the T10 and T12 vertebrae, sustained during last season's Misano round, have conditioned the rider, both physically and in terms of his performance on track.

Reiterberger has thus chosen to take a break, with immediate effect. Markus will therefore not be present at the next SBK round, taking place in The Netherlands, and will instead invest some time so that he can fully recuperate and better manage his future and career as a professional rider. Raffaele De Rosa will take his place.

Reiterberger is understandably disappointed: "After serious consideration, I have decided to step away from participating in WorldSBK. We made a strong start last season but then couldn´t keep up the good results. I have therefore opted to refocus on making a complete recovery and on my racing career. I am very thankful for the experience in WorldSBK with Althea BMW Racing Team and I am now very much looking forward to new challenges. It was always my dream to participate in WorldSBK and with the experience I’ve gained, I will work very hard to return to the championship.”

On the subject, Genesio Bevilacqua expressed his sympathy: “I am of course very sad to have to make this announcement, as I consider Markus to be a strong athlete and a considerable talent, who could have been a good match for the Superbike category. Unfortunately, the accident he suffered at Misano complicated things, as he was unable to fully regain that confidence that he had shown during the earlier part of the 2016 season."

The Althea manager continues: “I think that this decision leaves us all sad, me personally, the entire Althea team and BMW too, but I believe it’s normal that he wants to find that peace of mind. Markus is still only 23 and so has all the time he needs to recover and bounce back. I can only thank him for the commitment he showed throughout his stay with the Althea team, and we all wish him lots of luck, in the hope that we soon see him back, stronger than ever and whatever the bike. He can no doubt still find the physical conditions he needs to shape his future.”