Setback for BMW: Hannes Soomer injured in Suzuka crash!

With four weeks to go before the next Euro Moto race weekend at Oschersleben, Hannes Soomer has suffered a setback. The Estonian crashed on the second and final official test day for the Suzuka 8 Hours, injuring his right shoulder in the process. It is still unclear whether the BMW rider will be fit in time for the next round of the championship.

Following the crash, Soomer has already set off on his journey home to Europe. There, his shoulder is to undergo a thorough examination to determine the exact extent of the injury. “I’m sorry for the team and my team-mates. I wish them all the best for the race!” said Soomer after the crash.

The 8-hour classic at Suzuka is therefore taking a back seat for the BMW rider for the time being. His team, AutoRace Ube Racing, must decide at short notice whether Naomichi Uramoto and Sylvain Guintoli will contest the race as a duo or whether a third rider will be nominated.

However, the search for a replacement is likely to prove difficult. Jeremy Guarnoni is actually on standby as a reserve driver, but the Frenchman is already racing for S-Pulse Dream Racing Suzuki this race weekend. There, he forms the driver line-up alongside Jonas Folger.

Hannes Soomer is no longer in contention for the title anyway

From Euro Moto’s perspective, the focus is now primarily on Soomer’s state of health. The BMW rider is one of the series’ best-known names and is keen to get back in the thick of the action at the next race weekend in early August at Oschersleben. Whether this will be possible following his shoulder injury is likely to be decided only after medical examinations in Europe.

Soomer currently sits in eighth place in the championship. At the season opener at the Sachsenring, the BMW rider finished on the podium and put himself in contention for the Superbike World Championship. BMW nominated Soomer as a reserve rider for the race weekend in Aragon, which is why he had to miss the Euro-Moto races in Brno and consequently lost touch with the championship leaders.