Dramatic finale for the BMW factory team at the FIM EWC Le Castellet season closer.

Le Castellet. At the Bol d'Or at Le Castellet (FRA), BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team experienced just how tough and dramatic endurance racing can be. At the 2025 season finale of the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC), the team was only 28 minutes away from securing what would have been BMW's historic first title in the series. Running second in the race, Markus Reiterberger (GER), Sylvain Guintoli (FRA), and Steven Odendaal (RSA) were on course for the world championship crown with the #37 BMW M 1000 RR. But after 23.5 of the 24 hours, a technical issue forced the bike into the pits and out of the race. That left the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team third in the final championship standings. Celebration came, however, from the Superstock Champion-MRP-Tecmas squad who rode the #9 BMW M 1000 RR to the overall podium and victory in the SST class.

The final 24-hour race could hardly have been more thrilling. Starting from second place on the grid, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team went into the marathon tied on points with YART (Yamaha). After the first set of world championship points was awarded at the eight-hour mark, the BMW factory team moved into the lead and kept it with more points after 16 hours. The #37 machine remained on course for the title until less than half an hour from the checkered flag when retirement struck.

In the Superstock class, just as at the 8 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL), Champion-MRP-Tecmas competed with the #9 BMW M 1000 RR. Just like in Belgium, the team celebrated a class victory - and crowned that with third overall, the first Superstock team to claim an overall podium since 2021. Riders Loris Cresson (FRA), Bálint Kovacs (HUN), Jan-Ole Jähnig (GER), and Hannes Soomer (EST) shared riding duties. The team also secured third place in the FIM Endurance World Cup standings for Superstock bikes.

The Japanese AutoRace Ube Racing Team made its Bol d'Or debut with the #76 BMW M 1000 RR. Naomichi Uramoto (JPN), Loris Baz (FRA), and Leandro Mercado (ARG) were running a strong fourth place until late in the race when they too had to retire due to a technical issue.

Reactions after the season finale at Le Castellet:

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: "Of course, it is very bitter when a possible world championship title slips away so shortly before the finish. Just 28 minutes separated us from this historic success. But that is endurance racing: nothing is decided until the checkered flag falls. The riders and the team gave everything to keep the dream alive, but fate had other plans. Congratulations to YART on winning the title. Once the initial disappointment fades, we can be proud of what the team achieved this season. Everyone delivered outstanding performances in all four races. My thanks go to everyone in the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, to Team Manager Werner Daemen and our riders, as well as all the colleagues in Munich and Berlin who worked so hard for this dream. Next year we want to make it a reality - that's a promise! The performance of the AutoRace Ube Racing Team was also impressive; in their Bol d'Or debut they held fourth place for a long time. Congratulations to the Champion-MRP-Tecmas Team. Third place overall and victory in the Superstock class is an outstanding achievement and once again highlights the strength of the BMW M 1000 RR in all its specifications."

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: "My summary of the Bol d'Or: first and foremost, it was an incredible motorsport festival. We'll be back! What clearly prevails is the joy of seeing the potential of the bike and the team, and of experiencing the tremendous support from everyone - from headquarters in Munich and Berlin, from the race team, all partners, suppliers, and sponsors here on site. Twenty-four hours is always a challenge with maximum performance and concentration under all conditions. The way the team demonstrated this was exemplary - each and every one here, with the riders leading the way. Therefore, my thanks go to all involved. We can only apologise for the technical failure. But BMW will be back, and together we will fight for the world championship next year. And I am very pleased that - despite all the bad luck with the #37 - the #9 BMW M 1000 RR claimed a convincing victory in the Stock class and reached the overall podium."

Werner Daemen, Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: "I have no words to explain my feelings. I am really, really disappointed. And I think this is normal if you fight like me 20 years for this and then such things happen. It breaks my heart, especially for the team. But next year we will do it better. Next year we go for the world championship!"

Sylvain Guintoli, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: "Well, basically everything fell under control and we managed everything really well, the engine and the pace for the second part of the race. So it was there for us to take. We did everything right to go and get the second place in the race and most importantly to get the World Championship. But it wasn't to be. But it's endurance. Endurance is sometimes cruel. It was an extremely tough race. I think we all gave a lot. And we all feel now like we're going home empty-handed. But like I said, it's what it is. Now we have a bit of time, we'll reflect, take the good bits and come back stronger."

Markus Reiterberger, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: "We managed to be fighting for the title in the final race. We did everything we could to make it happen. We were well on our way, matched on points with YART in qualifying, and by the eight-hour mark of the race we had already built up a points lead. That put us first in the world championship standings. We were then leading the standings. Second place in the race would have been enough for us to secure the title. We just wanted to bring it home - and then, so close to the end, the unthinkable happened. And yes, it just feels like a bad dream. I don't think you can have worse luck than that. Honestly, I don't even know what to say. But I am grateful to the whole team and everyone involved, because everyone gave their maximum. No one deserved an outcome like this. Above all, it was hard to stand on the podium afterwards. I think it will take some time before one can really come to terms with something like this."

Steven Odendaal, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: "The team did a really good job. We all gave our 100%. Being tied with the championship lead after qualifying was a great way to start the last race of the year. But unfortunately life sometimes doesn't work out the way you want it and it's not the end of the world. We gave it our best shot and unfortunately we had a mechanical failure. But this is racing and there's always another year, another time, another championship. So I just wanted to say thanks to the team for the great effort that they put in and hopefully we can try and do something in the future."

Final World Championship standings (R04/04).

You can find all result from the Bol d'Or at the following link: ITS-Results.com