March 16, 2021 - Heels & Horsepower Magazine

BMW M presents comprehensive new safety car fleet for MotoGP™ 2021

vuyi on March 16, 2021

Preparations are underway for the 2021 season in the MotoGP World Championship, which begins on 28^th March with the Grand Prix of Qatar in Losail.

BMW M has been the ‘Official Car of MotoGP’ since 1999, an involvement that includes the provision of the safety car fleet.

This year marks the first time that BMW M GmbH is presenting three new safety cars and a new safety bike. In Qatar, the BMW M3, the BMW M4 and the BMW M5 CS Safety Cars will be celebrating their debuts.

They will be joined by the new BMW M 1000 RR Safety Bike. The BMW M 1000 RR is the first M model from BMW Motorrad and the racing version will be appearing in the Superbike World Championship.

The first M model on two wheels has been developed in motorsport and will meet the most exacting requirements on the racetrack
– Markus Flasch, CEO BMW M GmbH

The 2021 safety car fleet will be completed at the first European race of the season, the Grande Prémio de Portugal on 18^th April in Portimão. The BMW M8 Competition Coupe Safety Car, the BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe Safety Car, the BMW X5 M Medical Car and another BMW M 1000 RR Safety Bike will be in action from then on.

“The safety car fleet is the focal point of our involvement in the MotoGP and we are very proud to be starting the season with four new vehicles for the first time in our 20-year history as ‘Official Car of MotoGP’,” said Markus Flasch, CEO BMW M GmbH.

Our three new safety cars are based on production models, delivering outstanding performance and driving dynamics
– MARKUS FLASCH, CEO BMW M GMBH

“Our three new safety cars are based on production models, which deliver outstanding performance and driving dynamics that make them ideally suited to appear in the MotoGP. They will be joined by the new BMW M 1000 RR as the safety bike”, Flasch continued.

“The first M model on two wheels has been developed in motorsport and will meet the most exacting requirements on the racetrack. We are looking forward to the season-opener in Qatar and seeing our new fleet in action,” Flasch concluded.

BMW M is taking a new approach to colours with the safety cars this year. Instead of appearing in classic motorsport white, the safety vehicles will be sporting exclusive colours from M production models: the BMW M3 Competition Sedan Safety Car in Frozen Grey Dark Metallic, the BMW M4 Competition Coupe Safety Car in São Paulo Yellow and the BMW M5 CS Safety Car in Frozen Deep Green Metallic.

The new BMW M 1000 RR Safety Bike is white with the well-known M colours, bearing the livery that the BMW M 1000 RR will also be using in the Superbike World Championship.

Grim fuel outlook continues for South African motorists

vuyi on March 16, 2021

Fuel levy increases at a difficult time in the country’s economy will contribute to what are expected to be extremely high fuel price increases at the end of March going into April 2021. These increases will exacerbate the already dire financial position many South Africans find themselves in.

The Association says steepening climbs in international petroleum prices are being worsened by a dipping Rand/US dollar exchange rate, painting a grim picture for local fuel prices. The forecasted increases are worrying and could have a severe impact on an economy already reeling from a number of negative factors namely corruption, over-spending on the civil service, and the largest contraction in a century.

“As things stand today, petrol is set for a 90 cents-a-litre rise, diesel for an increase of 66 cents, and illuminating paraffin an increase of 62 cents,” the AA says.

These expected increases do not include the 26-cents a litre increases to the General Fuel and Road Accident Fund levies (excluding the one cent increase to Carbon Tax) announced by the Minister of Finance in his February Budget, which come into effect in April.

Within the current scenario with the addition of the levies, petrol is expected to increase by a whopping R1.16 a litre and diesel by 92-cents a litre.

With the expected increases factored in, a litre of 95 ULP Inland (currently at R16.32/l) will now cost R17.48/l of which R6.10 will be taxed through the GFL and RAF. This means that at least 35% of the cost of a litre of this petrol will be taxed. The price of diesel (currently pegged at R14.12/l) will increase to R15.04 of which R5.96 (including increased levies) will be taxed – or at least 40% of the total cost.

Petrol is set for a 90 cents-a-litre rise, diesel for an increase of 66 cents…
– Automobile Association (AA)

The Association says that either the Rand or international oil prices will require a sharp reversal if the picture is not to deteriorate further by month-end.

“The rampant upward march of international oil prices has quickened alarmingly in the first weeks of March. The basic fuel price for petrol, for instance, shot up from R6.55 a litre at the February close-out, to R7.40 a litre in the first two weeks of March.

Over the same period, the average Rand/US dollar exchange rate weakened by about 30 cents,” notes the AA.

Here are the dates for the 2022 International GS Trophy Regional Qualifiers

vuyi on March 16, 2021

Having placed second here at home in 2010 as well as in Canada 2014, South Africa has won the last three International GS Trophies – New Zealand 2020, Mongolia 2018 and Thailand 2016. These triumphs have firmly established that South Africa has some of the best GS riders in the world.

If you’re passionate about adventure, new experiences and sharing how to #MakeLifeARide, then the GS Trophy Regional Qualifiers are where you need to be; because BMW Motorrad South Africa is looking for five riders to represent Team South Africa and the #SpiritofGS at the 2022 International GS Trophy to be held in Albania.

BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy 2020 Oceania

Regional Qualifiers

The regional qualifiers are one day events taking place between May and July 2021. Individual riders compete in each region with the top riders invited to the National Qualifier in September 2021.

This year BMW Motorrad South Africa will select a women’s team as well, with the top women from each regional qualifier invited to compete at the National Qualifier.

Here are the dates & locations for the Regional Qualifiers:

15 May Limpopo (Capricorn Racetrack, Polokwane)

29 May Western Cape (Cape Dirt, Ruitersvlei)

05 June KwaZulu Natal (Killarney 4×4, Shongweni )

05 June Mpumalanga (Sabie Valley, Sabie)

19 June Gauteng (BMW X-Drive Park, Midrand)

03 July Eastern Cape (Tsitsikama Village, Stormsrivier)

24 July Free State (Loodsberg, Bloemfontein)

31 July North-West (Joubertsrus, Klerksdorp)