Overview
- BMW rolled out a revised lower fairing with two rear strakes on Miguel Oliveira’s bike only, using practice to study how the parts shape airflow around the rear tyre.
- Early laps showed no clear performance gain as Oliveira placed ninth at 1:39.684 and no back-to-back comparison with the standard fairing has been completed yet.
- Teammate Danilo Petrucci used the baseline bodywork, then crashed at Turn 3 in FP2 and left with a diagnosed left wrist contusion that will be reviewed before FP3.
- Team boss Shaun Muir said there were very few changes from recent rounds and downplayed immediate impact from the new piece, noting the focus on rider feel and electronics work.
- Oliveira said the strakes could matter more at Balaton because riders spend less time at full lean, and he expects a fuller verdict after runs on different track layouts.