World Champions: Historic title triumph in FIM EWC.

Le Castellet. The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team is the new World Champion in the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC)! In the final 24-hour race, the prestigious Bol d’Or at Le Castellet (FRA), riders Michael van der Mark (NED), Markus Reiterberger (GER) and Steven Odendaal (RSA) not only took a dominant victory with the #37 BMW M 1000 RR, they also made history: it is the first world championship title for a European manufacturer in the FIM EWC. For the team, Team Manager Werner Daemen (BEL) and the riders, it is also their first title triumph in endurance racing.

Just one year ago, drama unfolded at the very same venue when the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team already had one hand firmly on the World Championship trophy. However, less than half an hour before the finish, a technical failure shattered all their dreams. This only motivated everyone even more for the 2026 season. Where there were tears of disappointment last year, there were now tears of joy.

In all four races of the 2026 FIM EWC season, the team and its riders demonstrated that they were once again strong title contenders. At the season opener, the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans (FRA), they led until the early hours of the morning before dropping back due to problems. This was followed by the celebrated victory for the #37 BMW M 1000 RR at the 8 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). At the third round of the season, the Suzuka 8 Hours (JPN), van der Mark, Reiterberger and Odendaal secured third place, marking the first podium for a European manufacturer at the Japanese classic. As a result, the team reduced its deficit to championship leaders YART (Yamaha) to 19 points ahead of the finale.

At Le Castellet, there was therefore only one goal for the team: as the chasing team, to score the maximum possible number of points, and that is exactly what they did in dominant fashion. Van der Mark, who joined the team as a full-time rider this season and had never previously raced at the French circuit, was the fastest rider in qualifying. Together with Reiterberger, he secured pole position based on the combination of their best lap times, earning five points. Leading the race after eight and 16 hours brought another ten points, while victory was worth a further 40 points. The keys to success were the skill and speed of the riders, flawless work in the pits, as well as the performance, reliability and fuel efficiency of the motorcycle. The BMW M 1000 RR used less fuel than its rivals, allowing the team to make fewer pit stops over the distance and save valuable time.

After 24 trouble-free hours, Reiterberger crossed the finish line in first place on the #37 BMW M 1000 RR, greeted by jubilant celebrations from the team on the pit wall. Rival YART finished the race in third place and was therefore beaten by four points in the World Championship standings.

Reactions on the World Championship title:

Markus Flasch, Head of BMW Motorrad: “My warmest congratulations to the entire BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team and everyone at BMW Motorrad Motorsport who made this possible. We are more than proud of you! The third World Championship title for our BMW M 1000 RR within three years, and another milestone for BMW Motorrad. After the two WorldSBK titles, we are now World Champions in endurance racing as the first European manufacturer. This requires performance and efficiency, but above all it requires passion. Everyone has truly earned this title.”

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “I don’t think any of us have really been able to take this in yet. The entire week – from the first practice session to the final lap – was a demonstration of BMW and of what the BMW M 1000 RR is capable of. We are incredibly proud to bring home BMW’s first world championship title in endurance racing, especially after the very difficult years we have had. A special thank you goes to Werner Daemen, who has done an incredible job over the past few years. I think he has blue-and-white blood running through his veins, and we couldn’t imagine having a better brand ambassador at our side. We have put together a perfect team that has delivered an extremely strong performance in every race. The riders are also a worthy World Champion trio. Nobody puts themselves in the foreground; everyone puts the interests of the team first. The outstanding thing is that they have always ridden as a team – and that meant we left our rivals with no chance. To then also win such an extremely exciting final race is really something special for us. After two consecutive World Championship titles on the Superbike side, winning the Endurance title is another chapter in the story of BMW Motorrad Motorsport. I believe we are only at the beginning. We want to continue writing history, and now we have laid the foundation for that. It is also very important to thank the entire team, everyone at the track, in Munich, in Berlin, in Belgium and in England. We are World Champions again, for the third time in a row, and we can be very proud of that.”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “The race went perfectly from the first to the final lap. In the FIM EWC, it is important to win both 24-hour and 8-hour races. It comes down to the technology, the riders, the overall package and the people behind it – in Munich, in Berlin, and all our suppliers around the world. In endurance racing, you also have to stick together as a team. Even after setbacks such as the one at Le Mans, we scored important points as a team. Then, with the victory at Spa and the podium at Suzuka, we showed what the team and the motorcycle are capable of. To now leave the Bol d’Or as World Champions after such a dominant race weekend is fantastic. We also benefited from our Superbike experience, implementing the ingredients and recipes for success from recent years here and, together with Werner Daemen’s team and BMW Motorrad Motorsport, finding a perfect synergy. Thanks also to our riders Mickey, Markus and Steven – they are a formidable trio.”

Werner Daemen, Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and thoughts. We started this project together with BMW seven or eight years ago, and we knew it would be difficult to compete against the Japanese manufacturers because they have much more experience. They started back in the 1970s. As a young brand in this racing scene, which came here in 2019, we naturally had a lot of smaller problems. We built something up – and that is a very important point: we didn’t just build the best motorcycle, we also built the best team. And together with BMW, with the hard work and the good equipment they provide us with, we were truly at the top this year. I am very proud to have won the title for BMW.”

Markus Reiterberger, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “Finally, we have done it. Last year we had a bit of bad luck, so I was a little nervous during the final stint, but in the end, it worked out. I’m so happy for my team-mates: they were incredibly strong, just like the whole team. I don’t know how long I’ve been racing in this series with BMW, and I can hardly put into words how we feel now. I’m so grateful to everyone – and now let’s celebrate.”

Michael van der Mark, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “This year, Werner, the team and BMW took another step forward. They were already really good before, but now they have reached the next level. We riders, Markus, Steven and I, always helped and pushed each other. We were unlucky at Le Mans, but after that the victory at Spa and the podium at Suzuka were something special. Here, we had to take pole position and win – and that’s exactly what we did. Of course, sometimes you also need a bit of luck, but BMW, Werner and the team had that on their side this year. I’m really happy!”

Steven Odendaal, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “I couldn’t be happier. We have been trying to win this World Championship for a very long time. To lose it the way we did last year was simply heartbreaking. That makes winning it this year all the more special. We are three very strong riders in a fantastic team. Werner, his team and the guys at BMW have done an incredible job. The bike is truly amazing. Thank you very much to everyone who made this possible.”

Facts and figures.

Qualifying (combined).

Race.

Final World Championship standings (R04/04).