BMW Motorrad Wins Spa 8 Hours, Eyes Suzuka Success

The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team secured a resounding victory at their home race, the 8 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. Starting from pole, the Reiterberger/Odendaal/Van der Mark trio dominated the Belgian event, earning crucial championship points.

Unchallenged Dominance on the Ardennes Track

Saturday evening saw the garage of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team buzzing with celebration. On the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, the #37 BMW M 1000 RR crossed the finish line first in the FIM EWC 8 Hours. After clinching pole position, Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal, and Michael van der Mark confirmed their supremacy in challenging conditions. The unpredictable weather, with its intermittent rain showers, severely tested both machines and riders, but the German crew demonstrated strategic prowess and consistency to achieve a well-deserved and hard-fought victory.

Qualifying Set the Stage for a Perfect Weekend

The tone was set right from the qualifying sessions. The three main riders set the fastest times in their respective sessions, placing the #37 BMW on pole position with a comfortable lead of over half a second on their closest rivals. This strong performance foreshadowed a solid race and paved the way for a potential win. The objective was clear: score maximum points to climb the world championship standings.

A Controlled Race Despite Weather Woes

On the track, Reiterberger, Odendaal, and van der Mark left no doubt about their ambitions. While the lead was briefly lost in the opening laps, the crew quickly regained control. Spa’s unique characteristic, with its constant weather changes, forced the team to be highly reactive strategically. Every decision, every tire change, every pit stop was calculated to mitigate the weather’s whims. This impeccable management, coupled with flawless execution by the riders, led to BMW’s second consecutive victory at Spa.

BMW M 1000 RR: A Bike Up to the Challenge

This victory confirms the steady progress BMW Motorrad has made in endurance racing. The factory-spec M 1000 RR proved its competitiveness and reliability, even in extreme conditions. Rider feedback highlights the excellent work done over the winter and the improvements made to the machine. “The bike is fantastic,” enthused Markus Reiterberger, “we’ve taken a significant step forward compared to last year.” Customer teams equipped with the BMW M 1000 RR also showed strong performances, with several machines finishing in the top 15, including in the Superstock category.

A Podium Finish That Shakes Up the Championship

Thanks to this win, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team takes maximum points and moves up to third place in the world standings, just one point behind second position. The championship is shaping up to be more competitive than ever, with four rounds remaining. After this success in Belgium, the team is now setting its sights on Japan for the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours, the next crucial event of the season.

Immediate Reactions

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “What a fantastic weekend for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, at their home race in Spa-Francorchamps! Congratulations to Werner Daemen, our riders Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal and Michael van der Mark, the entire team, and all colleagues involved at BMW Motorrad Motorsport. A dominant performance in qualifying, followed by a flawless race in extremely difficult mixed conditions – it couldn’t have been done better. We had setbacks, but on the rollercoaster of the Ardennes, the momentum decisively shifted in our favor. This victory is more than deserved, and with maximum points, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team has taken an important step in the World Championship battle. We are now eagerly awaiting the challenge of Suzuka!”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “It was a fantastic race week. From the test day on Thursday, we showed solid pace in mixed, dry, and wet conditions. Then, in qualifying on Friday, having all three riders in P1 was a strong indication that the pace and potential were there. And in the race, the riders and the entire team executed everything perfectly. A big thank you to the mechanics: they prepared the bike flawlessly for three days in all the difficult conditions. The riders made no mistakes. After the difficult start to the season at Le Mans, this is a well-deserved but hard-fought and intense victory that demonstrated the pure performance of the team and the bike. So we are all very proud – of everyone present, our partners and sponsors – and thanks to everyone who contributed.”

Werner Daemen, Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “A victory – especially a home victory – is simply fantastic for me, for the team, and for BMW. After everything we experienced last year at Castellet and now at Le Mans, you can imagine the great sense of relief for me and for everyone involved. The mechanics and riders did an incredible job. We are all absolutely thrilled!”

Michael van der Mark, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “The team did a fantastic job all winter. At Le Mans, we were so strong, but unfortunately, we had bad luck. And here at Spa too, from the first day, we were fast in all conditions. Today, in the race, we knew we had the pace, but it’s typical Spa with the difficult weather. Still, the team made the right decisions. Steven and Markus were at the right speed at the right time and didn’t take any crazy risks. So I’m incredibly happy for the team after all the bad luck they’ve had in the past, and it’s special to win here – especially for their home race.”

Markus Reiterberger, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “Our second victory at Spa – first in the 24-hour race and now in the 8-hour race. After the less-than-ideal results at Castellet and Le Mans, we all kept working hard. The team and BMW have developed a fantastic bike. We already saw at Le Mans that we had taken a significant step forward compared to last year. Then we came here and were incredibly fast from the start, in all conditions. But we weren’t just strong on the track; we were also excellent off it. The team did a great job and kept a close eye on the weather radar. There was a lot of strategy involved, and that’s why I’m very grateful to the entire team, BMW, and everyone who contributed to this success. And we will continue to push like this – I’m looking forward to Suzuka.”

Steven Odendaal, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “First of all, we won it together. I felt a big weight lifted off our shoulders because it’s been a really tough period for us at BMW, especially after the last two races. And now, to finally win, it’s something unique and incredible. I think we deserve it because we all put in the effort, and ultimately bringing the win home for the team on their home track is amazing.”