Stephen Thompson will test the Penz13.com BMW Superbike he will ride at the Macau Grand Prix in November at Most in the Czech Republic on Thursday.

The Crumlin man is targeting a top six finish at the iconic Guia street circuit and believes he has a terrific chance of registering a solid result on the S1000RR for Rico Penzkofer’s team, which he hopes could maybe pave the way for a further association in 2015.

Thompson – who rode for the Bathams BMW team at the international road races this season alongside Michael Rutter – will use the test to familiarise himself with the Pirelli tyres used by Penzkofer’s team.

“I’m going to test the bike on Thursday in the Czech Republic at Most, which isn’t far from the team’s headquarters,” the 38-year-old told the News Letter.

“I normally use Dunlop tyres but they’re a Pirelli-supported team, so I’m going out there to get used to the tyres before I go to Macau.

“Michael Dunlop rode the team at Frohburg but as far as I know he’ll be riding the Buildbase BMW at Macau; I’ve seen that he’s down to ride the Penz13.com bike but the guy that has organised the ride for me says he’s definitely on the Buildbase machine, so who knows.

“I rode for John Burrows last year at Macau and John had been on to me about riding his bike again after Dan Kneen was ruled out through injury, but once I got confirmation of the test I decided I’d stick with the BMW,” Thompson added.

“It’s a proper Superbike that I’ve got and I know Rico well; he’s a good guy and we’ll get on well together in the team. It was tough last year because my mum had just died two weeks before I went to Macau and I wasn’t sure whether or not I was going to go.”

Thompson finished tenth at Macau last November on John Burrows’ GSX-R1000 Suzuki, but lost valuable time after he was caught up in a crash at the beginning of the race.

“I should have been higher to be honest, because I got held up with a crash at the start and that let the front group get away in front of me,” he said.

“I caught Lee Johnston at the end but I ran out of time when the red flags went out [when Dean Harrison crashed out unhurt] otherwise I might have got ninth.

“I’m aiming for the top six this year; I don’t usually make predictions like that but I’m feeling quite confident and I’m riding quite well at the moment. If things go to plan then why not a top six?

“The only thing is I haven’t rode the full BMW Superbike before; the Bathams bike I had this year was a Superstock version. But a guy from Pirelli and a technician from Macau are coming out, so it should be a matter of just turning up and riding the thing.

“We leave on the 5th of November and then I’m home on the 18th, but then I’m away on the 21st to Michael Laverty’s stag do, then I’m home for a few days and away again to Michael’s wedding in Wales – it’s going to be a pretty hectic month! I’m looking forward to it and the right people will be looking after the BMW, so the bike should go well,” he added.

“Penzkofer runs one of the leading teams in World Endurance and if I can get a decent result then who knows, maybe it will lead to something next year.

“Simon Andrews rode for the team this year and I’ll be riding the Superbike that Simon was supposed to ride, only sadly he never got the chance.”




.