Kick Off the Season: Join BMW World Championship Factory Teams in Exciting Berlin Launch!

Berlin is buzzing! BMW Motorrad Motorsport has kicked off its 2025 racing season with an exciting launch event. This year, they are ready to compete in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) and the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC). The location? The vibrant BMW Motorrad Welt, right next to the plant in Berlin-Spandau. Here, fans were introduced to the teams and riders, along with their shiny new racing machines.

The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team features the talented World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu from Turkey and Michael van der Mark from the Netherlands. In the endurance corner, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team showcases Markus Reiterberger from Germany, Sylvain Guintoli from France, newcomer Steven Odendaal from South Africa, and Hannes Soomer from Estonia.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, expressed his excitement: “It’s fantastic to kick off the season together with our entire BMW family. Each day, our anticipation grows. We aim to defend our title in WorldSBK and reach the top in the FIM EWC. We’re all working hard for these goals.”

The WorldSBK season will start with races on February 22nd and 23rd at Phillip Island in Australia. Razgatlioglu, now in his second year with BMW, had an amazing debut last season. Van der Mark is back for his fifth season with the team, making them a strong pair.

Meanwhile, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, managed by Werner Daemen, garnered third place in last year’s FIM EWC standings. Reiterberger has been a part of the team since its beginning in the 2019/20 season, while Guintoli and Soomer return for another year. Odendaal joins the mix, bringing fresh energy to the team. Their first race will be the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans on April 19th-20th.

A special highlight of the event was the appearance of Isle of Man winners Peter Hickman and Davey Todd, both from Great Britain. They will race for FHO Racing BMW in various international events and the British Superbike Championship this year.

Christian Gonschor, the Technical Director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, shared his enthusiasm: “Today’s launch showed the commitment of the entire BMW team. We are excited about the new BMW M 1000 RR, which gives us a solid start for this season. Our goal is to perform well in every race and defend our WorldSBK title.”

Team Principal Shaun Muir also shared his thoughts: “It’s amazing to be in Berlin. We’re eager for pre-season testing next week. Toprak and Michael had great success last year, and we aim to achieve more in 2025.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu, highlighted the thrill of being there as the World Champion: “It was exciting to return to Berlin. Everyone is eager to see the number one on my bike. I’m hopeful for a successful season ahead.”

Michael van der Mark echoed his teammate’s sentiments: “Last year ended strongly for us, and I’m eager to build on that momentum. Our team has big dreams for this season!”

Overall, the event showcased the unity and passion of BMW Motorrad Motorsport as they gear up for a promising season ahead. Excitement fills the air, and fans are sure to see some thrilling races as the teams hit the tracks soon!