BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team Claims First European Podium at Suzuka 8 Hours
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team secured third place at the Suzuka 8 Hours, the first podium finish for a European manufacturer in the race's 49-year history.
- 3rd place
- First in 47 years
- 19 points
- Suzuka 8 Hours since 1978
What Happened
The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team achieved a historic milestone at the Suzuka 8 Hours, finishing third with the #37 BMW M 1000 RR. Riders Michael van der Mark, Markus Reiterberger, and Steven Odendaal endured heavy rain and a drying track to claim the first-ever podium for a European manufacturer at the Japanese endurance classic, held since 1978. The result marks the third round of the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship and puts BMW back in contention for the title.
#37 BMW M 1000 RR showed pace, held second place after first two qualifying sessions.
Cancelled due to adverse weather; BMW retained second on the starting grid.
Riders delivered a composed race in alternating rain and drying conditions; pit crew performed flawlessly.
Run behind safety car due to standing water; historic third place secured.
“This is the most important event of the year for the Japanese manufacturers, and they line up with stars from MotoGP and WorldSBK. Yet BMW Motorrad, with our full-season FIM EWC team, has managed to stand on the podium here. BMW is the first European manufacturer ever to finish on the Suzuka podium.”
47 yearsyears
First European manufacturer podium in the Suzuka 8 Hours since its inception in 1978.
The AutoRace Ube Racing Team (#76 BMW M 1000 RR) finished fifth after a penalty dropped them from podium contention. In the Superstock class, Team Étoile claimed second place, and Champion-HERT Powered by MRP finished fourth. The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team is now 19 points behind in the championship standings ahead of the season finale, the 24-hour Bol d'Or on 19/20 September at Le Castellet.
Why this matters
This historic result breaks a decades-long dominance of Japanese manufacturers at the iconic endurance race, proving a European motorcycle can compete on home soil. It also boosts BMW's championship hopes, narrowing the points gap ahead of the season finale at the Bol d'Or.
Terms in This Story
- FIM EWC
- Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Endurance World Championship, the global endurance racing series for motorcycles.
- Suzuka 8 Hours
- An annual 8-hour endurance motorcycle race held at Suzuka Circuit in Japan, known for its tradition and manufacturer rivalry.
- Superstock class
- A support class in endurance racing for production-based motorcycles with limited modifications.
- Top 10 Trial
- A qualifying session where the top ten riders compete for grid position, often held after regular qualifying.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.