Historic podium finish at the Suzuka 8 Hours!

July 6, 2026

Historic podium finish at the Suzuka 8 Hours!

Suzuka. BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team celebrated a historic achievement as the team secured the first-ever podium finish for a European manufacturer at the Suzuka 8 Hours (JPN) with the #37 BMW M 1000 RR. In extremely challenging conditions, Michael van der Mark (NED), Markus Reiterberger (GER) and Steven Odendaal (RSA) rode to third place. The Japanese endurance classic has been held since 1978, and until the 2026 edition no European brand had ever reached the podium. Among the first to congratulate the team was Markus Flasch, Head of BMW Motorrad, who was on site at Suzuka. The Suzuka 8 Hours marked the third round of the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC).

The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team was also the highest-placed permanent FIM EWC entry. Victory and second place went to all-star line-ups fielded by Honda and Yamaha specifically for this race. In the world championship standings, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team has therefore continued to close the gap.

The #37 BMW M 1000 RR had already demonstrated its pace in the opening sessions of race week. After the first two qualifying sessions, the trio of van der Mark, Reiterberger and Odendaal held second place. As the traditional Top 10 Trial was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, they retained second place on the starting grid. From there, the BMW factory trio delivered a composed and consistent race in conditions that alternated between heavy rain and a drying track, while the pit crew once again performed flawlessly. The final half hour was run behind the safety car due to excessive standing water on the circuit. After eight hours of racing, the historic result was secured: a podium finish for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team.