Corser out, Melandri in at factory BMW SBK squad
Melandri, who has arguably performed above expectations in his debut World Superbike season with three wins and more than ten podiums, has been looking for another seat since Yamaha announced in August that it was closing its factory Superbike operation at the end of this season.
A veteran and two-time champion in the World Superbike series, Corser has been with BMW since the start of its WSBK campaign in 2009, but according to the company's Motorsport Director Bernhard Gobmeier "a joint decision was made with Troy that it is time to take the next step".
"Troy has made a vital contribution to establishing and further developing the team and the RR over the past three years. We would like to thank him for this. We came to a joint decision with Troy that it is time to take the next step," said Gobmeier.
"We are working on ensuring that Troy maintains his links with BMW Motorrad. Troy is inseparably associated with the development of the first BMW Motorrad superbike, and we want to take this into account."
Speaking of Melandri's appointment, Gobmeier continued: "We are really looking forward to working with Leon (Haslam) and Marco. I am convinced we will have arguably the strongest rider's line up in the Superbike World Championship field. We are delighted to have two riders who are both hungry and experienced for the coming season. That is the next important step for our team.
"Marco has performed brilliantly this season, even during difficult periods. He impressed us in his first season in the championship, and we are pleased to be able to welcome him into our team."
There has been no official word from the Corser camp on his future plans, despite the suggestion from Gobmeier that the 39-year-old veteran will stay on in some sort of management or development role with the team.
So far this season, Corser's best result has been a fifth place at Monza. The veteran has put the BMW S1000RR inside the top ten on several occasions, but in a season marred by crashes and mechanical problems, a podium has been elusive. However, Corser did produce one of his most consistent performances at Magny-Cours, finishing ninth in both 23-lap races. Speaking after the races, Corser said despite this, he was still a little disappointed.
"We have been strong and consistent all weekend, and in all honesty I was hoping for better results," said Corser.
"I have been happy with the bike throughout practice and the setup seemed good for the races, but we really struggled for grip in the latter stages of both races.
"Two top 10 finishes on paper is not so bad, but with the pace we have shown we all expected a little bit more. Still we have some good information to work with going into Portimao in two weeks' time."
Images: Graeme Brown/2 SNAP and Russell Colvin