World Superbike News

Richard Cooper - National Superstock - Co-Ordit Racing 2009

Richard Cooper, the National Superstock rider, is to replace the injured Ruben Xaus for the BMW team at the next round of the World Superbike Championship at the Nurburgring next weekend.

Xaus broke his right femur after high-siding at the Brno circuit back in July, he underwent an operation at a hospital in Barcelona to have three screws inserted into the bone and was hoping to back on his bike for the Nurburgring but doctors have advised the Spaniard to miss this race.

Cooper will partner Troy Corser on the BMW S1000RR after testing the machine at the Eurospeedway Lausitz, he said;

“It’s a great honour to be asked by the team to ride in place of Ruben and I will do my very best for sure. This ride is like a dream come true, but I am under no illusions about the massive task waiting for me this weekend. I have never raced at the Nurburgring before, but at least I have tested the S 1000 RR racebike, so I have some knowledge of it before going out for my first laps.

My first impressions of the bike were very good and I was surprised and pleased how smooth it felt and how good the power delivery was. I will be under no pressure from the team this weekend and all they want me to do is ride the bike and try and enjoy the experience.

Ruben and I are very different physically – I am a lot shorter and weigh a lot less – so my first job is to get the bike set up for me. It’s not nice stepping into somebody else’s shoes, and I wish Ruben a speedy recovery, but this is a great opportunity for me and I will be giving it my best shot.”

Cooper impressed fans and teams alike when he led the British Superbike race at Mallory Park in July, eventually finishing in fifth place.  His association with the BMW team has been a long one after previously running in the World Endurance and the BMW Boxer Cup.