BMW Motorrad F900 R Cup

Oulton Park – Report by David Gowshall of DEEGEE Motorsport Photography

30 April 2023

I’d been looking forward to the first British Sidecar Championship action of the 2023 season at Oulton Park for some time. However, a very heavy shower and the subsequent standing water at various points around the track, plus a very crowded programme of races on Sunday put paid to that.

Due to the 6.30 p.m. racing curfew that operates at the Cheshire based circuit the sidecar race was cancelled, restricting the three-wheeling stars to just one outing over the weekend on Monday, for which I had other plans.

I have to say the lack of working speakers around a large part of the circuit, a problem I have encountered at other racing venues, including Donington Park and Mallory Park recently, was a major issue in terms of communicating this fact.

Perhaps it’s a consequence of the increased cost of living/inflation but maybe some basic maintenance work to enable everyone to enjoy what are excellent race commentaries and updates such as that experienced on Sunday, is needed.

With no sidecar action I decided to turn my attention to what is a new race series running alongside the 2023 BSB Championship programme, the ABK Beer 0% BMW Motorrad F900 R Cup.

The championship is being run over 9 rounds, with points gained over two races each racing weekend.  Riders of all ages and levels of experience are free to take part and all will compete on identical 105hp BMW F900 R roadster bikes. 

The first thirteen riders from two Heats, typically held on the first day of the weekend’s meeting, will automatically qualify for the feature Main Event race on day two.

The six podium riders from each Heat will then draw their grid position from a hat for the Main Event, just to mix things up a bit.

Riders outside the initial top 26 qualifiers get a further opportunity to qualify for the Main Event in an additional race (Last Chance Qualifying – LCQ), earlier on day two of the race programme.

A £75,000 prize package maintains plenty of interest for competitors in the Heats, LCQ and Main races together with the added incentive of a brand-new BMW S 1000 RR for the overall Cup winner.



The first round, held at Silverstone, resulted in some close and exciting racing with former Superstock Champion and experienced campaigner Richard Cooper (#47) coming out on top. 

He was followed home by youngster Thomas Strudwick (#25) and veteran Michael Rutter (#1)

Cooper followed up his Silverstone success at Oulton Park by romping home to an easy win in Heat 1, held in very “iffy” conditions, with the track’s surface damp in places, particularly around the wooded Druids and Lodge sections.  Filling the all-important podium places behind him were Christian Smith and Rob McNealy.



In Heat 2, taking part on the same damp track, Thomas Strudwick, underlined his potential with a win over Nikki Coates (#65) and James O’Mara (#79), all three crossing the line within 1.5 seconds of one another.

In the LCQ race held on Monday morning Adrian Teasdale led home Marcus Tatchell (#14) and Matt Stevens (#4), who headed 11 other riders who qualified for the Main Event, resulting in a full grid of 40.

Richard Cooper and Thomas Strudwick filled the first two spots on the grid for the Main Event feature race and proved to be the men to beat as the race progressed. 

After a competitive first five laps, Cooper, using all his experience, drew away from Littlehampton-based Strudwick, and the main interest in the race fell to a four-way battle for the final podium spot between the experienced Barry Burrell (#77), Nikki Coates, racing for the first time for six years, Christian Smith and Michael Rutter, in his final race in this category this year before he concentrates his efforts on his Road Racing season.

After a fall for Barry Burrell on the penultimate lap of the race, Nikki Coates inherited third spot, some ten seconds behind Strudwick, who in turn was a further ten seconds behind a dominant Richard Cooper.



The BMW F900 R Cup is a very welcome addition to the BSB Support classes and looks like it will provide lots of entertainment for spectators over the coming Summer.

Hopefully, I’ll be at Donington Park later this month to spectate and photograph the Third Round of this series and get to report on the sidecar crews, weather permitting.

Next weekend DEEGEE Motorsport Photography will be stepping back in time at the Historic Wolds Trophy at Cadwell Park, when legendary cars from the Historic Sports Car Club will take to the track with a wide range of retro action racing from Classic Formula Fords to gorgeous Historic Touring cars.

You can see more of :DEEGEE: Motorsport Photography here.

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