BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team wins FIM EWC title, a first for a European manufacturer
The #37 BMW M 1000 RR took pole position and won the Bol d'Or 24-hour finale at Le Castellet, giving the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team its first FIM EWC world title.
- 158
- 154
- 4 points
- 1:50.837
What Happened
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 of the season, the Bol d'Or at Le Castellet (FRA), riders Michael van der Mark (NED), Markus Reiterberger (GER) and Steven Odendaal (RSA) took a dominant victory with the #37 BMW M 1000 RR. It is the first world championship title for a European manufacturer in the history of the FIM EWC, and a first title triumph in endurance racing for team manager Werner Daemen (BEL) and the riders. 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 and secured pole position with Reiterberger for five points. Leading after eight and 16 hours added ten more points and victory was worth 40, with the motorcycle using less fuel than its rivals, allowing fewer pit stops over the distance.
Just one year ago at the very same venue, the team already had one hand firmly on the World Championship trophy when a technical failure less than half an hour before the finish shattered its dreams, and the source says this only motivated everyone even more for the 2026 season. In all four races of the 2026 FIM EWC season, the team and its riders showed they were once again strong title contenders. After 24 trouble-free hours at Le Castellet, 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. The keys to success were the skill and speed of the riders, flawless work in the pits, and the performance, reliability and fuel efficiency of the motorcycle.
- Season opener, the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans (FRA): the team led until the early hours of the morning before dropping back due to problems.
- 8 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL): a celebrated victory for the #37 BMW M 1000 RR.
- Suzuka 8 Hours (JPN): third place, the first podium for a European manufacturer at the Japanese classic.
- Going into the finale, the team had reduced its deficit to championship leaders YART (Yamaha) to 19 points.
- Bol d'Or, Le Castellet (FRA): pole position and victory in the final 24-hour race of the season.
- 158 points
- 154 points
- 137 points
4points
Rival YART Yamaha finished the Bol d'Or in third place and was therefore beaten by four points in the final standings.
“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.”
“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. I am very proud to have won the title for BMW.”
Previously from BMW
BMW Motorrad's M 1000 line was in the spotlight shortly before the Bol d'Or: on 15 September 2026, the manufacturer showed special Nürburgring versions of the M 1000 RR, M 1000 R and M 1000 XR, each restricted to 100 motorcycles worldwide.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of BMW's official releases.
Why this matters
BMW's riders Michael van der Mark, Markus Reiterberger and Steven Odendaal are world champions in endurance racing, and it is the first FIM EWC title for any European manufacturer, against Japanese brands that team manager Werner Daemen notes have raced in the series since the 1970s. It is also the third World Championship title for the BMW M 1000 RR within three years, after two WorldSBK crowns.
Terms in This Story
- FIM EWC
- The FIM Endurance World Championship, a motorcycle racing series built around long-distance races such as 24-hour and 8-hour events.
- Bol d'Or
- A 24-hour motorcycle endurance race held at the Le Castellet circuit in France.
- Pole position
- The first starting position on the grid, awarded on the combination of a team's best qualifying lap times.
- WorldSBK
- The Superbike World Championship, the production-based motorcycle road racing series in which BMW has previously won titles.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.