Munich. BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team are looking ahead with confidence to the next round of the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Donington Park (GBR). The team is expected to field both of its regular riders once again. Both riders have been sidelined by injuries in recent weeks. Following Miguel Oliveira’s (POR) return to the team at Misano, team-mate Danilo Petrucci (ITA) is now also ready to make his comeback. A test aboard the BMW M 1000 RR at Donington Park delivered encouraging results.

The team has endured a challenging period. Oliveira sustained serious shoulder injuries during the races at Hungary’s Balaton Park Circuit in early May, while Petrucci suffered several injuries at Most in the Czech Republic, including a fractured coccyx. Michael van der Mark (NED) stepped in as a replacement rider for three events, while Hannes Soomer (EST) also competed as a substitute at MotorLand Aragón (ESP). Oliveira was able to return to racing at the last round at Misano (ITA), but Petrucci’s home event came just a little too soon for him.

Petrucci’s recovery has now progressed to the point where he is ready to return to competitive action. He is expected to be back on the bike for the races at Donington Park from 10th to 12th July. His test aboard the BMW M 1000 RR at the venue confirmed the positive progress of his rehabilitation. A final decision will be made following a medical assessment during the race weekend.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Welcome back, Danilo. We are delighted that Petrux is on the verge of returning to racing after his injury. The past few weeks have been exceptionally challenging for all of us. That makes it even more pleasing that we are planning to compete at Donington Park with both of our regular riders again. Danilo tested at Donington Park, and his feedback gives us every reason to be optimistic. Miguel already delivered an impressive performance during his comeback weekend at Misano. Both riders still have some time before the race weekend in mid-July to continue working on their fitness. We would like to thank all the medical staff who have supported our riders throughout the past weeks. We also extend our thanks to Mickey and Hannes, who did an excellent job as replacement riders.”

Shaun Muir, Team Principal, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It was great to see Danilo back on the BMW M 1000 RR. Considering everything he has been through over the past few weeks, his performance during the test was really impressive. What impressed me most wasn’t just the lap time, it was the way he approached the test. He was positive from the first run onwards, clearly enjoying being back on the bike and fully committed throughout the day. That gave the whole team an extra boost. At the same time, it was very encouraging to have Miguel and Danilo back on track together. Both riders completed their test programmes successfully and carried out important work in preparation for the race weekend. After the challenges of recent weeks, this test was an important step forward for the entire team. We leave Donington feeling very positive and are looking forward to returning here in two weeks’ time with both of our regular riders.”

Danilo Petrucci, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I’m very happy because, before the test, I wasn’t completely sure about my physical condition. It was therefore great to see that I could ride again and feel comfortable on the bike. Most of all, I was delighted to be working with my crew again. We worked well together, made progress with the setup, and I was able to ride at a good pace. The most important thing for me, however, was simply having fun on the bike again – that’s what I missed the most. I would like to thank the entire BMW team for giving me this opportunity, and I can’t wait to go racing again at Donington.”

Contents:

• 37th edition.
• EAGLES FOR EDUCATION.
• Long drive event “Launch Control”.
• Prize money.
• Player field.
• Statement Stephan Jäger.
• Pro-Am tournament with celebrities.
• TV times.
• Video screen & tournament podcast.
• Hole-in-One Award.
• Getting there by public transport – free shuttle bus service.
• Getting there by car & parking.
• Ticket shop.
• Partners.
• Tournament history facts & figures.

37th edition.

BMW has been the organiser of the BMW International Open since 1989. No other tournament on the DP World Tour has been held for so long under the same name and with the same partner. The BMW International Open was also BMW’s first involvement in professional golf. The roots of the BMW Golf Cup, which has long since established itself as the largest international tournament series for amateur golfers, stretch back as far as 1982.

EAGLES FOR EDUCATION.

The BMW Group will support Philipp Lahm Foundation for Sport and Education by donating € 1,000 per eagle at the BMW International Open. Like last year, the 2026 organisation of choice is once again the. The shared goal is to provide children and young people with expertise in the fields of exercise, nutrition and personal development. In 2025, the BMW international Open raised € 73,000 for the Philipp Lahm Foundation.

The BMW Group views itself as part of the community and wishes to contribute to overcoming the challenges of today and tomorrow. With this in mind, the BMW Group is running “Eagles for Education” at BMW title tournaments around the world, in order to help ensure that all young people have access to an education.

‘Launch Control’ featuring with two world champions.

Once again this year, visitors can look forward to monster drives and an electrifying atmosphere as the grandstands at the 18th green are transformed into a long drive arena as ‘Launch Control’ is back. On Saturday afternoon (July 4), after the conclusion of the third round (around 5:30 p.m.), a spectacular showdown will take place when the 2022 Long Drive World Champion, Germany’s Martin Borgmeier, faces off against the 2025 World Champion, Zack Holton from the USA. In addition, surprise guests will contribute to a spectacular golf event of a different kind – an experience not to be missed.

Admission is free from 4 p.m. on this day, allowing sports fans to enjoy both ‘Launch Control’ and the final stages of the third round at no cost.

Prize money.

This year, the total prize fund stands at three million US dollars for the first time, of which 510,000 US dollars go to the winner.

Top international players in the field (as of 23rd June 2026).

Byeong-Hun An (KOR), Abraham Ancer (MEX), Josele Ballester (ESP), Rafa Cabrero Bello (ESP), Dan Brown (ENG, defending champion), Martin Couvra (FRA), Ewen Ferguson (SCO), Sergio García (ESP), Pablo Larrazábal (ESP), Thriston Lawrence (RSA), Sebastián Muñoz (COL), Joaquín Niemann (CHI), Carlos Ortitz (MEX), Marco Penge (ENG), Patrick Reed (USA), Jayden Schaper (RSA), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT), Danny Willett (ENG)

German players in the field (as of 23rd June 2026).

Martin Kamyer, Matti Schmid, Freddy Schott, Nicolai von Dellingshausen, Marcel Siem, Marcel Schneider, Max Kieffer, Dominic Foos, Finn Kölle (AM), Thomas Georg Schmidt (AM)

Former winners in the field (as of 23rd June 2026).

Martin Kaymer (2008), Pablo Larrazábal (ESP, 2011, 2015), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR, 2014), Thriston Lawrence (RSA, 2023), Ewen Ferguson (SCO, 2024), Dan Brown (ENG, 2025)

Current DP World Tour Entry List:
https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/bmw-international-open-2026/entry-list

Statement Stephan Jäger.

Unfortunately, Stephan Jäger has withdrawn from the BMW International Open. The 37-year-old says: “Unfortunately, my results on the PGA TOUR this season have not been as good as I would have hoped. So, it is with a heavy heart that I have decided not to come to Munich and instead to keep working on my PGA TOUR eligibility. I would like to apologise to golf fans in Germany and wish them and tournament organiser BMW an amazing BMW International Open.”

European debut for Brad Dalke.

His golf videos on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have been viewed millions of times worldwide. Now, at the 2026 BMW International Open, he can be seen live when American Brad Dalke will tee off in Munich with a wild card. Dalke should not be underestimated as an athlete. In 2016, he reached the final of the U.S. Amateur Championship and earned a spot at the 2017 Masters. Also in 2017, he played a key role in helping the University of Oklahoma’s college team win the NCAA National Championship. Dalke’s steadily growing fan base in Germany can look forward to witnessing the 28-year-old’s first appearance at a professional golf event in Europe.

Pro-Am tournament.

The Pro-Am tournament takes place on Wednesday 1st July and features a number of big-name athletes from other sports as well as celebrities from the world of showbiz. Admission is free. Play starts at 08:00 in the morning and 13:30 in the afternoon (both shotgun starts).

Celebrities.

Football: Philipp Lahm, Oliver Bierhoff, Jonas Hofmann, Patrick Herrman, Martin Harnik

Winter sports: Johannes Lochner, Tobias Wendl, Tobias Arlt

NHL ice hockey: Moritz Seider, Tim Stützle

Basketball: Andreas Obst, Johannes Voigtmann, Danilo Barthel

Motorsport: BMW M works driver Jordan Pepper

Tennis: Philipp Kohlschreiber

Track and field: Lars Riedel (Olympic discus champion)

Golf (long drive): Martin Borgmeier

Film and TV: Kai Wiesinger, Kostja Ullmann, Florian Gallenberger

TV times in Germany.

This year, MagentaSport will be broadcasting the BMW International Open for the first time and will also be producing a one-hour preshow programme live from Golfclub München Eichenried. The entertaining programme will be available for anyone to view for free on Thursday and Friday, even without a Magenta TV subscription.

Thursday and Friday (no subscription necessary)

11:30-12:30: Preshow programme

12:30-18:00: Round 1 and 2 live

Saturday and Sunday (Pay TV)

12:00-13:00: Preshow programme

13:00-18:00: Round 3 and 4 live

Video screen with live data.

At the heart of the Tournament Village is the large video screen, which is visible from the beer garden and a large lawn area – the perfect place to refuel without missing any of the action. As well as live coverage, a second screen also continuously shows comprehensive live statistics, data and animations. AI algorithms and a high-definition 3D model of the golf course create data-rich stories. The result is a golfing experience with a depth of detail you will struggle to find elsewhere. Furthermore, the makers of “Tee Time”, the official BMW International Open podcast (https://tee-time.golf), will also interview fascinating guests in front of the video screen each day.

Hole-in-One Award.

The traditional Hole-in-One Car that will be presented to pro golfers who manage to get an ace on the 17th hole (par 3) is a very special model this year; it will be announced and revealed during the tournament week.

Electrified shuttle fleet.

A fully electrified BMW shuttle fleet will be in operation at the BMW International Open. The on-site charging stations are fed with 100 percent green electricity and were installed by BMW in collaboration with Golfclub München Eichenried. Outside of the tournament, they are available at all times to club members and guests.

Getting there on public transport – free shuttle bus service.

From Thursday to Sunday during the tournament week, a free shuttle bus service will run from Ismaning S-Bahn station between 07:00 and 20:00. The buses will run regularly and continuously during these hours. However, there are no parking spaces at Ismaning S-Bahn station – this service can only be used by S-Bahn passengers. A valid S-Bahn ticket must be shown when boarding the bus.

Getting there by car.

The BMW International Open can be reached from the A9 motorway (Munich to Nuremberg) by taking the Garching-Süd exit and following the B 471 towards Ismaning. Continue on the B388 towards Erding. Please make sure you follow local road signposting.

Navigation address.

Goldacher Straße, 85452 Moosinning, Germany

Parking.

Weather permitting, parking is available at the tournament site. Parking is free for all visitors in officially designated car parks. A parking space is not guaranteed.

Ticket shop.

Tickets for the BMW International Open are available at:

www.bmw-golfsport.com/tickets

Discounted tickets are available for young people (15-17 years), students and people with disabilities. The ticket price includes a free shuttle bus service between Ismaning S-Bahn station and the golf club from Thursday to Sunday, as well as free parking at the tournament site, subject to availability. Admission to the Pro-Am tournament (Wednesday, 1 July 2026) is generally free. Children and young people up to and including the age of 14 also have free admission on all other days. For the first time, the BMW International Open 2026 will offer an after-work ticket for Thursday or Friday, which is valid from 3 pm and is available at half the price of a day ticket.

Partners.

The BMW International Open would not exist without them: our partner family. Tournament organiser BMW is very grateful to have a whole host of renowned companies and brands at its side, actively supporting the hosting of the tournament. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our main partners Buffalo Trace, Commercetools, HCL Tech, Emirates, Puma and Rolex, corporate partners Antenne Bayern, Husqvarna and Telekom, and all our supplier partners.

Facts and records from the history of the tournament.

Most wins (2).

Paul Azinger (1990 and 1992), Thomas Bjørn (2000 and 2002),

Pablo Larrazábal (2011 and 2015), Henrik Stenson (2006 and 2016)

Youngest winner.

Martin Kaymer (23 years and 177 days, 2008)

Oldest winner.

Ernie Els (43 years and 248 days, 2013)

Lowest 18-hole score.

Thorbjørn Olesen (61 shots, -11, 2018)

Lowest 72-hole score.

John Daly (261 shots, -27, 2001)

Lowest final round by a winner.

Peter Fowler (63 shots, 9 under par, 1993)

Wire-to-wire winners.

David Feherty (1989), Sandy Lyle (1991), Ernie Els (2013), Li Haotong (2022)

Largest winning margin (5 shots).

Mark McNulty (1994), Frank Nobilo (1995), David Horsey (2010), Fabrizio Zanotti (2014), Pablo Larrazábal (2015)

Play-offs.

1990: Paul Azinger beat David Feherty

1992: Paul Azinger beat Glen Day, Anders Forsbrand, Mark James and Bernhard Langer

1997: Robert Karlsson beat Carl Watts

2006: Henrik Stenson beat Retief Goosen and Padraig Harrington

2011: Pablo Larrazábal beat Sergio Garcia

2012: Danny Willett beat Marcus Fraser

2014: Fabrizio Zanotti beat Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Grégory Havret and Henrik Stenson

2019: Andrea Pavan beat Matt Wallace

2022: Li Haotong beat Thomas Pieters

Holes-in-one (27) and Hole-in-One Cars won (8).

Jay Townsend (12th hole, round 4, 1991), BMW 325i Cabrio

Steen Tinning (8th hole, round 4, 1992)

Domingo Hospital (8th hole, round 2, 1994)

Florian Bruhns (AM) (8th hole, round 1, 1995)

Gary Evans (3rd hole, round 3, 1995)

Alex Cejka (8th hole, round 1, 1997

Domingo Hospital (2nd hole, round 3, 1997)

Thomas Bjørn (2nd hole, round 2, 1999)

John Daly (12th hole, round 1, 2001)

Raphaël Jacquelin (17th hole, round 2, 2001), BMW Z8

Andrew Coltart (2nd hole, round 2, 2003)

Colin Montgomerie (8. Loch, 3. Runde, 2009)

Jean-François Lucquin (17th hole, round 4, 2010), BMW 535i

Alexander Knappe (2nd hole, round 2, 2011)

Andrew Marshall (16th hole, round 2, 2012), BMW 640i Gran Coupé

James Heath (16th hole, round 4, 2014), BMW i8

Richie Ramsay (16th hole, round 1, 2016), BMW M760Li xDrive

Sergio Garcia (11th hole, round 2, 2016)

Andres Romero (2nd hole, round 1, 2017)

Paul Peterson (2nd hole, round 1, 2017)

Aaron Rai (16th hole, round 2, 2018), BMW i8 Roadster

Gaganjeet Bhullar (17th hole, round 2, 2019), BMW M8 Competition Coupé

Vincent Normann (16th hole, round 3, 2021)

Takumi Kanaya (12th hole, round 1, 2023)

Joost Luiten (8th hole, round 2, 2023)

Connor Syme (2nd hole, round 3, 2023)

Matthis Besard (12th hole, round 1, 2024)

Albatrosses (4).

José Maria Olazábal (11th hole, round 2, 2001)

Rafa Echenique (18th hole, round 4, 2009)

Vincent Normann (16th hole, round 3, 2021)

Max Kieffer (11th hole, round 1, 2022)

Low cut.

139 shots (-5), 1992 and 1997

High cut.

148 shots (+4), 1990 and 2018

Venues.

Golfclub München Eichenried (1989-1993, 1997-2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, since 2019)

St. Eurach Land- und Golfclub (1994-1996)

Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018)

All winners.

2025: Dan Brown (ENG)

2024: Ewen Ferguson (SCO)

2023: Thriston Lawrence (RSA)

2022: Li Haotong (CHN)

2021: Viktor Hovland (NOR)

2020: No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

2019: Andrea Pavan (ITA)

2018: Matt Wallace (ENG)

2017: Andrés Romero (ARG)

2016: Henrik Stenson (SWE)

2015: Pablo Larrazábal (ESP)

2014: Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)

2013: Ernie Els (RSA)

2012: Danny Willett (ENG)

2011: Pablo Larrazábal (ESP)

2010: David Horsey (ENG)

2009: Nick Dougherty (ENG)

2008: Martin Kaymer (GER)

2007: Niclas Fasth (SWE)

2006: Henrik Stenson (SWE)

2005: David Howell (ENG)

2004: Miguel Angel Jiménez (ESP)

2003: Lee Westwood (ENG)

2002: Thomas Bjørn (DEN)

2001: John Daly (USA)

2000: Thomas Bjørn (DEN)

1999: Colin Montgomerie (SCO)

1998: Russell Claydon (ENG)

1997: Robert Karlsson (SWE)

1996: Marc Farry (FRA)

1995: Frank Nobilo (NZL)

1994: Mark McNulty (ZIM)

1993: Peter Fowler (AUS)

1992: Paul Azinger (USA)

1991: Sandy Lyle (SCO)

1990: Paul Azinger (USA)

1989: David Feherty (NIR)

+++ Joaquín Niemann (CHI) joins the strong field at the BMW International Open (1-5 July 2026) +++ Byeong-Hun An (KOR), Marco Penge (ENG), Abraham Ancer (MEX), Sebastián Muñoz (COL) and Josele Ballester (ESP) also tee off at GC München Eichenried +++ Finn Kölle and Thomas Georg Schmidt (both GER) start as amateurs +++

Munich. A good two weeks before the start of the BMW International Open (1^-5 July), tournament organiser BMW is pleased to confirm more top golfers, who will be hoping to join the battle for the iconic title at Golfclub München Eichenried. Visitors should definitely keep an eye on Joaquín Niemann. There is no shortage of experts who see the 27-year-old golfer from Chile, who is making his BMW International Open debut, as a future major winner.

Niemann spent 44 weeks at the top of the amateur world rankings, before winning 21 tournaments as a pro, including two on the PGA TOUR and one on the DP World Tour. He also represented Chile at the Olympic Games in 2020 and 2024, finishing in the top ten on both occasions. Niemann finished in a tie for 18^th place at last month’s PGA Championship, underlining his place in the world elite. He will now be keen to show German golf fans what he is capable of for the first time.

Byeong-Hun An can also look back on an extremely successful amateur career, including being crowned US Amateur Champion in 2009 at the age of just 17. However, the South Korean has the upper hand over Niemann in one regard: he knows what it feels like to lift a BMW trophy. In 2015, he won the flagship tournament on the DP World Tour, the BMW PGA Championship, with the lowest winning score in the history of the tournament (-21) and by a massive six shots. ‘Ben An’, as he is known, is yet to triumph on the PGA TOUR, but the 34-year-old has narrowly missed out in a play-off on three occasions.

Visitors to the GC München Eichenried can also look forward to seeing a pro who, with three wins on the DP World Tour, was one of the best players of the previous season: Marco Penge from England. In fact, it was only a certain Rory McIlroy (NIR) who managed to finish ahead of the 28-year-old in the 2025 season rankings. Penge has established himself in the top 50 of the world rankings and is among the favourites to win the tournament in Munich this year.

The entry list for the 37^th BMW International Open includes another two top players, who have both tasted victory on the PGA TOUR: Mexican Abraham Ancer and Sebastián Muñoz from Columbia. The Munich crowd can also look forward to Spaniard José Luis “Josele” Ballester. The 20-year-old is predicted to enjoy a dazzling future on the golf scene. Like Ben An, Ballester also won the US Amateur Championship (2024), as well as the Spanish (2020) and European (2023) amateur championships.

Two promising, talented German players will also tee off in Munich. Amateurs Finn Kölle and Thomas Georg Schmidt will make their BMW International Open debut. For emphatic proof of what is possible in this role, they need look no further than Tim Wiedemeyer, who last year thrilled the crowd in Munich with a fine 17^th place.

Tickets for the BMW International Open are available at:
www.bmw-golfsport.com/tickets

Discounted tickets are available for young people (15-17 years), students and people with disabilities. The ticket price includes a free shuttle bus service between Ismaning S-Bahn station and the golf club from Thursday to Sunday, as well as free parking at the tournament site, subject to availability. Admission to the Pro-Am tournament (Wednesday, 1 July 2026) is generally free. Children and young people up to and including the age of 14 also have free admission on all other days. For the first time, the BMW International Open 2026 will offer an after-work ticket for Thursday or Friday, which is valid from 3 pm and is available at half the price of a day ticket.

Misano. The seventh round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Misano (ITA) proved to be a challenge – one that BMW Motorrad Motorsport, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, and its riders mastered with flying colours. Leading the charge was Miguel Oliveira (POR), who returned to the saddle of his BMW M 1000 RR after a serious shoulder injury, showcasing remarkable fighting spirit and unwavering determination. All-rounder Michael van der Mark (NED) once again impressed in his role as substitute rider, while the injured Danilo Petrucci (ITA) provided valuable support to the team from the garage during his home event.

At the beginning of May, Oliveira suffered serious shoulder injuries in an unavoidable accident at the Balaton Park Circuit (HUN). Following an intensive rehabilitation programme and final medical assessments on site at Misano, he was finally given the green light to return to racing. For the Portuguese rider, the priority was to regain his race rhythm and gradually rebuild his feeling and confidence on the bike. In doing so, he battled through considerable adversity, including ongoing pain and the intense summer heat. In Saturday’s race one, he fought his way from 11th on the grid to an impressive eighth-place finish. He improved even further in Sunday morning’s Superpole race, claiming sixth place to the applause of the team. However, in Sunday afternoon’s second feature race, he was forced to acknowledge his remaining physical limitations and returned to the pits before the finish.

Van der Mark once again demonstrated his versatility at Misano. In recent weeks, he had stepped in for Oliveira at the WorldSBK rounds at Most (CZE) and MotorLand Aragón (ESP). Last weekend, he celebrated a fantastic victory with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team at the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) race in Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). Just a few days later, he returned to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, this time filling in on Petrucci’s side of the garage. A technical issue forced him to retire early from race one. On Sunday, starting from 16th on the grid, he first secured 11th place in the Superpole race before making up seven positions in race two and defending an excellent ninth place all the way to the chequered flag.

Petrucci followed the action from the garage. During the Most (CZE) round, he sustained several injuries, including a fractured coccyx, and is currently working towards his return to competition. The target is for him be able to line up at the next WorldSBK event at Donington Park (GBR / 10th to 12th July).

Reactions after the Misano round.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “We have to give Miguel the utmost respect this weekend. What he achieved was truly outstanding. We did not expect him to be able to set those lap times, to finish inside the top ten, and even almost challenge for a top-five result. He was still suffering significant pain and was far from being 100 percent fit, yet under those circumstances he extracted more than the maximum. Retiring from the final race was the right decision. There simply was no point in taking any further risks. We are also very proud of Mickey. He did a fantastic job and completed a strong weekend with ninth place. Once again, the testing work he carried out was extremely valuable for us. Mickey can now head into the next Endurance World Championship race at Suzuka at the beginning of July with great confidence. For the next WorldSBK round at Donington, we expect to be back with both of our regular riders. It was difficult for Danilo not to be racing here, but it was the right decision, and it was great to have him on site supporting the team. We will now make intensive use of the four-week break to continue working on the riders’ fitness. Then we will be ready for Donington!”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “We look back on Misano with great satisfaction. It was wonderful to see Miguel back on the #88 bike. His qualifying performance was already very strong, and his race on Saturday was particularly impressive given his physical limitations. The Superpole race was absolutely outstanding, with a sensational sixth-place finish despite being in significant pain. Even though he was forced to retire from the second race, we were able to see the potential of both the bike and the rider. Once Miguel has fully recovered, we will be fighting for podium finishes again. Mickey once again demonstrated the potential of both himself and the motorcycle by finishing ninth in Sunday’s final race while standing in as a substitute rider. Thanks to him, we were able to complete very important testing work throughout the weekend. This was a major benefit for our project. Several setup changes introduced for Sunday proved to be positive, allowing Mickey to gather valuable insights and important championship points while substituting for Danilo. At the same time, he was able to log plenty of race mileage under competitive conditions as preparation for the FIM EWC race at Suzuka and provide valuable feedback. Overall, it was a challenging weekend, but unquestionably a successful one. We scored many important points and are now turning our focus to the coming weeks. Hopefully, Danilo will be back for Donington, and Miguel will be even stronger. Before that, however, we have the Suzuka endurance race ahead of us. We are looking forward to the next races!”

Miguel Oliveira, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It was a comeback weekend. The most surprising thing was the fact that I could do yesterday’s race with good pace. This morning I woke up even more sore and in more pain. The Superpole race was good and it was actually was a big surprise, even for myself to me. But then during race two, I felt I couldn’t push through the pain because the limitation was so big, and I was not really in control of the bike. But I want to leave a message to the team: they supported me the whole weekend and also this entire recovery process. To be here after five weeks is already a big achievement, and to do it in a solid way and perform as we did, I think we should all be proud. Even with me not being 100%, and not having tested here like all the other guys, we should be happy with what we’ve got, and we move forward from here.”

Michael van der Mark, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It definitely hasn’t been an easy weekend coming back to WorldSBK, but I’ve enjoyed it. We also tried a lot of things to develop the bike. Honestly, in Superpole, it was again my fastest lap ever, and it felt so close. Starting P16 isn’t ideal, but I’m still happy with the lap time. Yesterday in race one, unfortunately, we had a technical issue while we were running in the points, so that was a bummer. This morning in the Superpole race, it was nice to fight with some guys, and it’s a shame to finish just outside the top nine. Still, it gave me confidence for the afternoon. In the second race, I had a good start, good battles, and I was in the right spots early on, so I could maintain a good pace. Sam Lowes was behind me and pushed me a lot all the way to the finish. But it’s nice to end the weekend with a top ten. And honestly, all respect to Miguel. Not many people see how much pain he’s been in, and to deliver like that yesterday and this morning – he did a fantastic job.”

Danilo Petrucci, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Honestly, it’s a weird feeling to be here and not racing. I really struggled during the first two weeks after the accident. I was in a lot of pain, and it was really hard – especially to sleep, to recover, and to get any rest. It was tough, but once I was able to stand up, walk, and go cycling, I did my best every day to be as fit as possible to be here. Still, I probably needed one more week, and we decided to sit out this race. There are still some issues – not one big problem, but a few small ones – especially in my knees and my left leg. I need a bit of time to be fully fit. I hope to come back as soon as I can, and I hope to join the team again from the next round, fully fit.  Anyway, I’m really happy to be back with them and everyone working with me. I tried to help as best as I can.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 26°, track temperature: 44°, humidity: 52%, conditions: dry.

* New all-time lap record

Race 1.

Air temperature: 30°, track temperature: 52°, humidity: 38%, conditions: dry, laps: 21.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 5, 1:32.552 (new record)

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 26°, track temperature: 45°, humidity: 50%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 4, 1:31.945 (new record)

Race 2.

Air temperature: 33°, track temperature: 52°, humidity: 29%, conditions: dry, laps: 21.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 5, 1:32.735

Current riders’ classification (R07/12, after 21 of 36 races).

Current manufacturers’ classification (R07/12, after 21 of 36 races).

+++ Defending champion Daniel Brown (ENG) aims to make history at the BMW International Open (July 1–5, 2026) +++ Third Masters champion in the field: Danny Willett (ENG) returns to Munich +++ Former winners Ewen Ferguson (SCO), Pablo Larrazábal (ESP), Martin Kaymer (GER), and Thriston Lawrence (RSA) to tee off +++ Long drive event with world champions Martin Borgmeier (GER) and Zack Holton (USA) +++ Munich debut for Brad Dalke (USA) +++

Munich. Englishman Daniel Brown could make history at this year’s BMW International Open (July 1–5, 2026, Golfclub München Eichenried). In the 37-year history of Germany’s most prestigious golf tournament, no player has ever successfully defended the title. However, Brown will face tough competition in his quest, as several other players who have already won in Munich will also be teeing off: Ewen Ferguson, Pablo Larrazábal, Martin Kaymer, and Thriston Lawrence are all eyeing another title as well. Visitors can also look forward to the return of the long drive event ‘Launch Control’ and the BMW International Open debut of golf creator Brad Dalke, who has also teed off at the Masters.

Willett’s highly successful career had its breakthrough at the 2012 BMW International Open, when, at the age of 24, he celebrated his first victory on the European Tour (now DP World Tour). Four years later, the Englishman achieved his greatest triumph at the Masters, followed by an emotional win at his prestigious home tournament, the 2019 BMW PGA Championship in England. Willett will be the third Green Jacket holder to tee off in Munich this year, alongside Sergio García (ESP, 2017) and Patrick Reed (USA, 2018).

Following only three dropped shots throughout the entire tournament, Brown deservedly secured the title at last year’s BMW International Open. His total score of 22 under par further highlights this achievement as in the long history of the tournament, only four winners have posted a better result.

Ferguson claimed his triumph in Munich in 2025, and Lawrence was crowned champion in 2024, meaning that the titleholders from the past three years will be on display at Golfclub München Eichenried. Although Kaymer (2008) and Larrazábal (2011 & 2015) lifted the trophy a little longer ago, both have a permanent place in the tournament’s history. Kaymer is the youngest and only German winner, while the Spaniard, with two titles, is the record champion – alongside Paul Azinger (USA, 1990 & 1992), Thomas Bjørn (DEN, 2000 & 2002), and Henrik Stenson (SWE, 2006 & 2016).

‘Launch Control’ featuring with two world champions.

Once again this year, visitors can look forward to monster drives and an electrifying atmosphere as the grandstands at the 18th green are transformed into a long drive arena as ‘Launch Control’ is back. On Saturday afternoon (July 4), after the conclusion of the third round (around 5:30 p.m.), a spectacular showdown will take place when the 2022 Long Drive World Champion, Germany’s Martin Borgmeier, faces off against the 2025 World Champion, Zack Holton from the USA. In addition, surprise guests will contribute to a spectacular golf event of a different kind – an experience not to be missed.

Admission is free from 4 p.m. on this day, allowing sports fans to enjoy both ‘Launch Control’ and the final stages of the third round at no cost.

European Debut for Brad Dalke.

His golf videos on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have been viewed millions of times worldwide. Now, at the 2026 BMW International Open, he can be seen live when American Brad Dalke will tee off in Munich with a wild card. Dalke should not be underestimated as an athlete. In 2016, he reached the final of the U.S. Amateur Championship and earned a spot at the 2017 Masters. Also in 2017, he played a key role in helping the University of Oklahoma’s college team win the NCAA National Championship. Dalke’s steadily growing fan base in Germany can look forward to witnessing the 28-year-old’s first appearance at a professional golf event in Europe.

Tickets for the BMW International Open are available at:
www.bmw-golfsport.com/tickets

Isle of Man. Peter Hickman (GBR) has already celebrated eleven victories with BMW Motorrad Motorsport at the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. However, a serious injury temporarily halted his progress and forced him to miss the 2025 edition of the legendary road race. Now, “Hicky” has made an impressive comeback: in the two 1000cc races held at this year’s Isle of Man TT, he guided his #10 BMW M 1000 RR of 8TEN Racing to second place on both occasions.

Preparation for this year’s Isle of Man TT proved challenging for 8TEN Racing, BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s Official Team UK. For Hickman, the event was an important benchmark following his injury layoff. His teammate Davey Todd (GBR), who had claimed three Isle of Man victories aboard the BMW M 1000 RR over the previous two years, suffered an injury earlier this year and was not cleared to race. Instead, he took on the role of television commentator and analyst throughout the event.

Race week began with the Superbike TT, contested over six laps of the famous Mountain Course. Hickman quickly demonstrated that he was back to his best, while the team delivered excellent pit-stop performances. The reward was a hard-fought and well-deserved second-place finish on the podium.

After that, the previously favourable weather conditions deteriorated. Fog and rain repeatedly caused delays and cancellations. The two Superstock races, in which BMW road racers are traditionally among the leading favourites, could not be held this year. As a result, only the prestigious Senior TT remained on the schedule, taking place late on Saturday afternoon. The race was red-flagged during the second lap following a serious accident involving BMW road racer Erno Kostamo (FIN).

Later, due to the poor weather forecast, race officials decided not to restart the Senior TT. Consequently, the standings after the opening lap were declared the final result, with Hickman once again finishing second behind Dean Harrison (GBR / Honda), who had also won the Superbike TT.

In addition to Kostamo’s crash in the Senior TT, several other serious accidents in different classes cast a shadow over this year’s Isle of Man TT. The entire BMW Motorrad Motorsport family’s thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Daniel Ingham, who tragically lost his life, and we wish Erno and all others who were injured a speedy recovery.

Reactions after the 2026 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “What I take away from this year’s TT is that. Pete is back. After some very difficult times, he rediscovered his confidence over the course of these two weeks and did an incredibly good job. For him, it was crucial to complete the full six laps of the opening Superbike TT race to assess where his fitness level stood. He was not yet at 100 percent, but he improved with every lap and was then able to demonstrate in the Senior TT that he is well on his way to making a complete return. You could see it in his body language on the bike: the old Pete is back. For Davey, it was a very difficult fortnight. As he continues his recovery and was not cleared to compete at this year’s TT due to his injury not yet being fully healed, he did everything he could to support the commentary team on site. However, he and Pete are now fully focused on 2027. Both riders know one thing: TT 2027 starts today. Our full focus will be on preparing as thoroughly as possible for next year’s event with both riders and the team. Congratulations to Dean Harrison and Honda, who delivered an outstanding performance – we are looking forward to a great battle in 2027! At the same time, it was great for us to see so many private BMW riders on the starting grid once again. It underlines the importance and strength of our brand in road racing. It would have been interesting to see how the competition would have unfolded in the Superstock races, but as is so often the case on the Isle of Man, the weather proved to be a major challenge. Unfortunately, this year’s event was overshadowed by several serious accidents. We would like to express our condolences to the family of Daniel Ingham and hope for a speedy recovery for all those who were injured.”

Peter Hickman, 8TEN Racing: “It’s been a really unusual race week, but overall for me, including two podiums in two races with the BMW M 1000 RR, I couldn’t have asked for much more than that. It was more than I ever expected. Obviously I’m still not 100% yet, as we all know, but I’m really, really happy with how the two weeks have gone. 8TEN Racing and BMW have done a fantastic job. In fact, I didn’t touch one click on the Superbike for two weeks – the bike was just that good. I’m more than happy with that, coming back after missing all of last year so I look forward to the TT 2027.”

BMW Motorrad presents the BMW M 1000 RR Limited Edition Isle of Man TT.

It was the major highlight at the start of this year’s Isle of Man TT: With the BMW M 1000 RR Limited Edition Isle of Man TT, BMW Motorrad introduces a special model limited to 115 units to mark the 115th running of the legendary road race in 2026. The edition is based on the BMW M 1000 RR M Competition and combines exclusive TT design elements with carefully selected equipment features and collector attributes.

 
With this edition limited to 115 units, BMW Motorrad pays tribute to one of the most historic and demanding road races in the world. Key features include the British Racing Green Uni Matte paint finish, selected Mountain Course graphics, and sequential numbering with a certificate of authenticity.

Note to editors:

You can find all results of this year’s Isle of Man TT here on the official website.

Munich. Miguel Oliveira (POR) is ready to return aboard the #88 BMW M 1000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. After missing the race weekends at Most (CZE) and at MotorLand Aragón (ESP) due to shoulder injuries sustained in Hungary at the beginning of May, Oliveira is aiming to make his comeback this weekend at Misano (ITA), where round seven of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) will take place.

After claiming four podium finishes aboard the BMW M 1000 RR during his debut WorldSBK season, Oliveira suffered a setback at round four of the championship at Hungary’s Balaton Park Circuit. An incident for which he was blameless in the Superpole Race resulted in a fractured shoulder blade among other injuries. Over the following weeks, he underwent an intensive rehabilitation programme in his native Portugal. He was already present at MotorLand Aragón last weekend to support the team at the circuit, and he is now ready to return to racing action at Misano. As is customary in WorldSBK, the final decision will be made following the medical assessment at the venue.

His teammate Danilo Petrucci (ITA), meanwhile, will remain on the sidelines. Petrucci sustained a fractured coccyx at Most. Although his recovery is also progressing very well, it has been jointly decided that he should continue to rest for another weekend. Petrucci will be present at Misano however to support the team. As a result, Michael van der Mark (NED) will switch sides within the garage and reunite with the crew that supported him as a race rider for five years. The BMW test rider and FIM EWC factory rider had stepped in for Oliveira at Most and Aragón and will now replace Petrucci at Misano.

“We are very pleased that Miguel’s recovery has progressed so well that we can now plan for his comeback at Misano,” said Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport. “After some difficult weeks, this is a step back towards normality for us. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to Miguel’s recovery following his injury. With Danilo, we have agreed to wait a little longer. He is already feeling significantly better, but we do not want to rush anything. He will still be with us at Misano and support the team as much as possible. Mickey will continue to race for us as a substitute rider. He has already done an excellent job at Most and Aragón, and I am sure that his victory with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team at last weekend’s 8 Hours of Spa Motos will give him even more momentum.”

“I’m looking forward to rejoining the team and getting back on my BMW M 1000 RR,” said Oliveira. “Returning at Misano has been the target throughout my recovery, and I’m pleased to be in a position to make that happen. Earlier this week, I also rode a production bike during a track day to assess my condition and gain some valuable time on track. I want to thank everyone who has supported me during this recovery process, my family, the medical team, the team itself and all the fans who have been sending messages of encouragement. Naturally, I know the challenge that awaits. The level of competition is extremely high, and I’m still working my way back to full fitness. My priority this weekend is to rebuild my rhythm, regain confidence on the bike and continue progressing session by session. The rest will come with time and hard work.”

Round seven of the 2026 WorldSBK season at Misano will take place from 12th to 14th June.

Spa-Francorchamps. At 9:00 p.m., celebrations erupted in the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team garage at Spa-Francorchamps (BEL): a triumphant home victory in the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC)! Starting from pole position, Markus Reiterberger (GER), Steven Odendaal (RSA) and Michael van der Mark (NED) dominated the eight-hour race on the legendary Ardennes rollercoaster aboard the #37 BMW M 1000 RR. In difficult and ever-changing conditions, the team, bike and riders combined all their strengths to secure a well-deserved and enthusiastically celebrated victory. Thanks to pole position and the race win, the team collected the maximum possible points and climbed to third place in the World Championship standings after the second of four rounds.

The factory trio had already delivered an impressive performance in Friday’s qualifying sessions. All three riders set the fastest time in their respective groups, earning a dominant pole position with a combined advantage of more than half a second over their closest rivals.

In the race itself, Reiterberger, Odendaal and van der Mark left no doubt that victory was a realistic objective. Although they briefly surrendered the lead in the opening stages, they soon re-established themselves at the top of the leaderboard. With rain showers repeatedly arriving and the track constantly drying and changing, the team consistently made the right strategic decisions. The reward for a flawless performance was a second home victory at Spa-Francorchamps.

The ERC Endurance Team #6, featuring Marcel Schrötter (GER), Kenny Foray (FRA) and Jan-Ole Jähnig (GER) aboard the #6 BMW M 1000 RR, crossed the finish line in tenth place. Just behind them in eleventh was Team Étoile (#25), which also secured fourth place in the Superstock classification. LRP Poland (#90) finished twelfth, while Team Tecmas – Minerva Oil (#9) took thirteenth overall and fifth in the Superstock category. The BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Team Japan, AutoRace Ube Racing Team, completed its first appearance at Spa-Francorchamps in 25th place. The #76 BMW M 1000 RR was ridden by Sylvain Guintoli (FRA), Naomichi Uramoto (JPN) and Hannes Soomer (EST). Champion-HERT Powered by MRP’s #38 BMW M 1000 RR, the Superstock winners of the season opener in Le Mans (FRA), led the class at the halfway point but was later forced to retire due to a technical issue.

Round three of the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship, the Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan, will take place in early July.

Reactions after the 8 Hours of Spa Motos:

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “What a fantastic weekend for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team at its 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 the colleagues involved at BMW Motorrad Motorsport. First came the dominant qualifying performance, followed by a flawless race in every respect under extremely challenging mixed conditions – it simply could not have been done any better. We have experienced setbacks, but on the Ardennes rollercoaster the momentum swung decisively in our favor. This victory is more than deserved, and with the maximum haul of points, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team has taken an important step forward in the World Championship battle. Now we are all looking forward to the challenge of Suzuka!”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “It was a fantastic race week. Already on the test day on Thursday, we showed strong pace in mixed, dry and wet conditions. Then on Friday in qualifying, having all three riders on 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 huge thank you goes to the mechanics: they prepared the bike flawlessly over three days in all challenging conditions. The riders made no mistakes at all. After the difficult start to the season in Le Mans, it was 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, of our partners and sponsors – and thank you 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 went through last year in Le Castellet and now in Le Mans, you can imagine how great the sense of relief is for me and everyone involved. The mechanics and the riders did an incredible job. We are all absolutely delighted!”

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 were unlucky. And also here at Spa, immediately from day one we were quick 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 eight-hour race. After the less-than-ideal results in Le Castellet and Le Mans, we all continued to work hard. The team and BMW have put together a fantastic bike. We already saw in Le Mans that we had made a significant step forward compared to last year. Then we arrived here and were incredibly fast right from the start, in all conditions. But we were not only strong on the track; we were also excellent off the track. The team did a great job and kept a close eye on the weather radar as well. 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 keep pushing like this – I can hardly wait to get to Suzuka.”

Steven Odendaal, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “First of all, we won it together. I felt a big weight off our shoulders because it really was a difficult 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 this one because we all put the effort in, and finally to bring it home for the team on their home track is amazing.”

Facts and figures.

Qualifying (combined).

Race.

Current World Championship standings (R02/04).

+++ Another five local pros tee off at the BMW International Open (1 – 5 July 2026) +++ Freddy Schott, Nicolai von Dellingshausen, Marcel Siem, Marcel Schneider and Max Kieffer are looking forward to their home tournament +++

Munich. The BMW International Open will once again present an attractive mix of top international players and the best local pros this year. The home game, at the only DP World Tour event in Germany (1 to 5 July 2026, Golfclub München Eichenried), is a special experience for the national elite and a highlight of the season. Fans can once again look forward to seeing numerous compatriots, as Freddy Schott, Nicolai von Dellingshausen, Marcel Siem, Marcel Schneider and Max Kieffer will also be taking part in the 37th edition of the iconic tournament.

25-year-old Freddy Schott celebrated his first victory on the DP World Tour this year when he defeated Patrick Reed (USA) in a play-off at the Bahrain Championship in February. He will now face the Major winner again in Munich.

Nicolai von Dellingshausen has been an integral part of the BMW International Open for many years. The 33-year-old triumphed for the first time on the DP World Tour last year at the Austrian Open and achieved his best result in Munich in 2022 with a tied fifth place.

Marcel Siem has not yet realised his dream of winning in his ‘nursery’ – he spent his childhood at GC München Eichenried. The 45-year-old will make another attempt to win his seventh title on the DP World Tour in his home country.

Marcel Schneider made his debut at the BMW International Open in 2011 and is a permanent fixture in Munich as well as one of the most consistent German players on the DP World Tour. The 36-year-old has yet to win a DP World Tour title, but has come very close on more than one occasion. Perhaps he will clear that hurdle this year in Munich?

Max Kieffer has also not missed his home game for many years. The 35-year-old has already won on the DP World Tour and been in contention for the win at the BMW International Open deep into the final round several times, most recently in 2023; this tournament would mean so much to him and all the German players.

The only local pro to have already achieved this goal will also tee off in Munich is Martin Kaymer, who in 2008 went down in the history books as the youngest winner (23 years and 177 days) of the BMW International Open to date. Last year's best German player, who finished tied for seventh, will also be back as Regensburg-born Matti Schmid will be travelling from the USA walking tall, having recently caused a stir at the second major of the year, the PGA Championship, where he finished tied fourth.

Tickets for the BMW International Open are available at:
www.bmw-golfsport.com/tickets

Discounted tickets are available for young people (15-17 years), students and people with disabilities. The ticket price includes a free shuttle bus service between Ismaning S-Bahn station and the golf club from Thursday to Sunday, as well as free parking at the tournament site, subject to availability. Admission to the Pro-Am tournament (Wednesday, 1 July 2026) is generally free. Children and young people up to and including the age of 14 also have free admission on all other days. For the first time, the BMW International Open 2026 will offer an after-work ticket for Thursday or Friday, which is valid from 3 pm and is available at half the price of a day ticket.

Alcañiz. Productive work in scorching summer temperatures characterised the sixth round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) for BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. At MotorLand Aragón (ESP), the team was forced to compete without both regular riders due to injury. Miguel Oliveira (POR) sustained shoulder injuries during the race weekend in Hungary, while Danilo Petrucci (ITA) suffered a fractured coccyx two weeks ago in Most (CZE). As a result, BMW Motorrad factory riders from the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC), Michael van der Mark (NED) and Hannes Soomer (EST), took over riding duties on the team's BMW M 1000 RRs.

Oliveira’s recovery process is progressing very well, and the Portuguese rider used the race weekend to support the team on site and exchange information with the engineers. Petrucci remains under treatment in his home country of Italy and is also reporting steady progress. However, it is still unclear what the situation will be for the next WorldSBK round in two weeks’ time at Misano (ITA).

The focus at MotorLand Aragón this weekend was on development work for the second half of the 2026 WorldSBK season. Van der Mark, after five years as a BMW WorldSBK rider and now serving both as an FIM EWC rider and test rider for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team, and Soomer gathered valuable data and information to further optimise the bike’s setup. The progress was reflected in the lap times: for the first time, van der Mark lapped the circuit in under 1:48 minutes, confirming the positive development throughout the weekend. Seventh place in Superpole qualifying provided a solid foundation for the races for van der Mark. He finished 11th in both race one and the Superpole race, before securing a top-ten finish with tenth place in race two.

Soomer also adapted quickly to both the team and the WorldSBK-spec BMW M 1000 RR, contributing solid testing work. After qualifying 18th in Superpole, the Estonian retired from race one following an unfortunate crash. He finished 15th in the Superpole Race. In Race Two, he had another small crash, but was able to remount and take the chequered flag in 18th position.

Van der Mark and Soomer will already be back in action next weekend at the second round of the FIM EWC season, the 8 Hours of Spa Motos at Spa-Francorchamps (BEL).

Reactions after the MotorLand Aragón round.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Of course, it was a somewhat unusual weekend for us, but we made the best of the situation. Our objective here was not to fight for the podium – for us, this was a test under race conditions. The three days with two riders on track were extremely important for our preparation for the second half of the season. Mickey did a very good job once again, just as he did in Most, and extracted the maximum from the package in every race. It was great to see him consistently improve on his previous best lap times at this circuit throughout the weekend. That shows we have taken another step forward with the overall package. In addition, he scored valuable points for us in the championship standings. Hannes was also a great asset. His previous WorldSBK appearances were several years ago, but he integrated himself into the team with great commitment and contributed valuable development work, although he unfortunately suffered unlucky crashes in both feature races. We also had fantastic support in the garage this weekend. It was great to have Miguel with us and to see how much better his shoulder is already feeling. We are also in close contact with Danilo, who is likewise reporting steady progress in his recovery. We will wait and see how things develop over the coming week before deciding on our line-up for Misano. Naturally, we want to see both of our regular riders back on the BMW M 1000 RRs as soon as possible, but the top priority is that they return only when they are fully fit. That is more important than any premature comeback.”

Miguel Oliveira, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It’s not easy to be on the outside, but I felt it was a good moment for me to come and show up for my crew. It’s been a couple of tough weekends not having both me and Danilo, so I thought it could be a good opportunity to be here, to show that I’m doing well, and to give them a little boost. My recovery has been progressing quite well and quite fast – not to the point where I can come here and ride, but I definitely feel more ready than I did last week. Last week we started doing some exercises with elastic bands and tried to get some mobility back in the shoulder. That’s where we’re at, and hopefully within two weeks I’ll be fit enough to get back on the bike and compete. I think it’s realistic to think about Misano. I don’t know what condition I’ll be in when I get there, but that’s definitely the main target.”

Michael van der Mark, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Aragón is done, and I think it ended on a positive note. On Friday we started with some issues, but luckily we solved them and made good progress. Honestly, I’ve been very happy with my Superpole this weekend. In race one, we made the wrong decision with the front tyre, but we still scored some decent points. On Sunday in the sprint race, I couldn’t keep the pace of the group in front of me, which was a shame, but it was still quite a good race. For race two, we made a small change on the bike and I felt much better. It wasn’t enough to stay with the guys in front, but we made a big step in regards to pace. So I’m really happy with the race, and we had a good weekend without any mistakes. It was also nice to see Miguel back in the box, helping us and giving some advice. It was good to have him here, and I can’t wait to see him back on the bike again. Now Spa is coming, so there aren’t many days off, but I’m enjoying it. I’m looking forward to Spa, and hopefully we can get back on the podium there.”

Hannes Soomer, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It was an interesting weekend. It was my first time in the World Superbike paddock as a factory rider, so there was a lot to learn and a lot to take in, but I enjoyed it. Sunday’s Superpole race wasn’t too bad. I finished 15th, but in the second race I had another crash. It was just a small mistake again – I couldn’t save it. Luckily, I could at least finish after that. So I finished two races and didn’t finish one. But, overall, it was an enjoyable time. I loved working with the team and the bike, and I hope to have another chance in the future. But I also hope the chance doesn’t come because somebody is injured, so best wishes to Miguel and Danilo.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 25°, track temperature: 39°, humidity: 46%, conditions: dry.

* New all-time lap record

Race 1.

Air temperature: 30°, track temperature: 48°, humidity: 36%, conditions: dry, laps: 18.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 5, 1:48.681

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 23°, track temperature: 37°, humidity: 51%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 10, 1:47.709 (new record)

Race 2.

Air temperature: 30°, track temperature: 49°, humidity: 38%, conditions: dry, laps: 18.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 7, 1:48.971

Current riders’ classification (R06/12, after 18 of 36 races).

Current manufacturers’ classification (R06/12, after 18 of 36 races).

Most. BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team endured their second difficult weekend in a row in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK). During the fifth round of the season at Most (CZE), Danilo Petrucci (ITA) was injured in Saturday’s first main race and was ruled out of Sunday’s races. The team’s other regular rider, Miguel Oliveira (POR), was unable to compete at Most after suffering an injury two weeks earlier at Balaton Park (HUN). He was replaced at Most by Michael van der Mark (NED).

The weekend had started strongly for Petrucci, who finished sixth on his #9 BMW M 1000 RR in the combined Friday practice standings. He then started the first main race from ninth on the grid and immediately gained positions off the line. However, disaster struck in Turn 13 when Petrucci crashed heavily following a violent highsider. After initial examinations in the Medical Center, the Italian was transferred to Most Hospital for further checks where a fractured coccyx was diagnosed. Petrucci was discharged from the hospital on Sunday at midday.

Van der Mark, who raced as a BMW WorldSBK rider from 2021 to 2025 and now serves as a test rider for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team as well as a regular rider in the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, quickly adapted to WorldSBK competition again. He finished Friday’s free practice sessions inside the top ten. He crossed the line in 14th place in the first main race after being one of several riders relegated to the back of the grid due to a penalty. In the Superpole Race, van der Mark secured another top-ten result with tenth place. He finished the second main race in 13th position.

Reactions after the Most round.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Our start to the race weekend was very positive with the confirmation of our long-term motorsport commitment for the future. The entire team is looking forward to the coming years in both WorldSBK and FIM EWC. Continuing our customer racing programme is also an important step in further underlining the sporting character of the BMW Motorrad brand. Unfortunately, after the events in Hungary, our race weekend was overshadowed once again when Danilo suffered a heavy crash in race one. However, the most important thing is that Danilo is doing reasonably well under the circumstances. He is already on his way back to Italy to begin the recovery process as quickly as possible. Likewise, Miguel is scheduled for further examinations, so we expect to have an update on both recovery processes during the coming week. A big thank you goes to the entire team, who continue to work tirelessly despite these setbacks. Michael van der Mark did an excellent job here at Most as Miguel’s replacement rider. Of course, he knows the BMW M 1000 RR extremely well, and he managed to reintegrate into the team quickly in order to gather valuable data for the remainder of the season. He delivered solid top-ten performances, and we are happy to have such a reliable rider in the family as a substitute. Finally, I would once again like to send best wishes for a speedy recovery to Miguel and Danilo from the entire team. Both have our full support in their recovery, and we are already looking forward to their return.”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Once again, the conclusion from this weekend is mixed. Friday was good, with very solid top-ten results and the potential to improve significantly further by Saturday, but Saturday ended catastrophically with Danilo’s injury. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Danilo! The grid penalty for Mickey made Saturday’s race unnecessarily difficult as well. On Sunday, our full focus was on Mickey as our replacement rider. I think we laid very solid groundwork in both races. Strong battles, good races and important data – you cannot expect much more from a replacement rider in such a highly competitive field, and we take those as small positives from the weekend.”

Michael van der Mark, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “First of all, I was happy to be back in the paddock. I’ve always wanted to race – but not to replace someone. I just started steadily, doing my job and making progress step by step. Unfortunately, yesterday Danilo had a big crash, and honestly, after that I had no words. No one in the whole team deserves this. They were working so hard and making progress, and to have a second injured rider is just hard. But anyway, we stayed focused and kept improving. In this morning’s Superpole race, I just missed out on P9, which was a shame because I had to start from the fourth row on the grid for race two. Even so, I had an okay start. For me, it was just nice to be back battling with some of the guys. My pace improved a lot, but it still wasn’t enough. Still, it’s nice to see that every session we’ve been making progress. Next week at Misano, we have an important test, my test job continues, and hopefully we can make the bike even better.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 13°, track temperature: 28°, humidity: 57%, conditions: dry.

* New all-time lap record

Race 1.

Air temperature: 14°, track temperature: 26°, humidity: 50%, conditions: dry, laps: 21 (after red flag).

Fastest race lap: Iker Lecuona, lap 4, 1:30.562

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 15°, track temperature: 26°, humidity: 40%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 3, 1:29.920 (new record)

Race 2.

Air temperature: 16°, track temperature: 28°, humidity: 41%, conditions: dry, laps: 22.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 2, 1:30.109

Current riders’ classification (R05/12, after 15 of 36 races).

Current manufacturers’ classification (R05/12, after 15 of 36 races).

Media Contact.

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Email: juliane.dresler@bmw.de

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Munich. Miguel Oliveira (POR) will not take part in the upcoming FIM Superbike World Championship races in Most, Czech Republic. The Portuguese rider suffered fractures of the scapula and ribs, injuries to the shoulder tendons, and a concussion during Sunday’s Superpole Race at Balaton Park Circuit. Together, Oliveira, BMW Motorrad Motorsport, and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team decided that the full focus will now be on his complete recovery, meaning he will sit out the next race weekend. As a replacement rider for Most (15th to 17th May), BMW Motorrad factory rider Michael van der Mark (NED) will step in on the BMW M 1000 RR.

“Of course, I’m very disappointed, because with the podium in Saturday’s race in Hungary we showed that we are on the right path towards success,” said Oliveira. “Unfortunately, setbacks such as injuries can happen in racing. I will now fully focus on getting back to 100 percent fitness and returning to my team and my BMW M 1000 RR as soon as possible. My thanks go to everyone who helped me after my injury in Hungary. Thanks also to Mickey – I know my bike is in good hands in Most.”

Van der Mark knows the motorcycle, the team, the championship, and the circuit extremely well. The Dutchman, now a rider in the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team and test rider for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team, competed with the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team in WorldSBK from 2021 to 2025.

“First of all, I wish Miguel a speedy recovery,” said van der Mark. “I’m ready and I will give everything to settle back in quickly. My task will be to support BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the team as best as possible in Most, collect important data for the rest of the season, and of course score as many points as possible.”

The recovery process will now be closely monitored, and a decision regarding Oliveira’s participation in upcoming races will be made in due course.

Balaton Park. Great podium celebrations on Saturday and shocking moments on Sunday: at the fourth race weekend of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Balaton Park Circuit (HUN), BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team experienced the highs and lows that motorsport can bring. Saturday’s headline was: Miguel Oliveira (POR) is back on the podium! Sunday then brought a bitter twist. In the Superpole Race, both Oliveira and teammate Danilo Petrucci (ITA) were injured, through no fault of their own, and were unable to start the second main race.

Oliveira showed early in the weekend that he would be a contender at Balaton Park Circuit. In Superpole qualifying, he secured fourth place on the grid on his #88 BMW M 1000 RR. He converted that into his fourth podium finish of the season in Saturday afternoon’s first main race: third place for Oliveira. Teammate Petrucci had a more difficult race and finished in 11th.

The team headed into Sunday full of optimism. Oliveira actually made an excellent start to the Superpole Race. But then several other riders collided, and Oliveira was also taken down. The race was red-flagged. An initial diagnosis at the medical centre indicated concussion and an injury to his left shoulder. To assess the injuries further, Oliveira was transferred to hospital.

At the restart of the Superpole Race, Petrucci was then heavily struck by another rider. He was able to continue and fight his way to 16th at the finish. However, race doctors later diagnosed a bruise to his left hip caused by the contact and declared Petrucci unfit to compete in race two.

Reactions after the Balaton Park round.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “It was a weekend in which we had to experience every emotion. The great celebration on Saturday: Miguel back on the podium! We could also see that we have improved further in terms of pace. We were faster than last year and, if everything had gone to plan, a podium finish in all three races would definitely have been possible. But Sunday turned into a black day for us. First there was Miguel’s heavy crash, when he was innocently caught up in a collision in the Superpole Race. That was a major shock, along with the initial uncertainty. Fortunately, there was some early, albeit cautious, positive news. But now we must continue to wait and see what the further examinations at the hospital reveal. Then, at the restart, Danilo was also hit so hard by another rider that he was injured as well. Although he was still able to finish the race, based on the examinations in the medical centre afterwards, it was decided that he would not be allowed to start race two. We wish both our riders a good and speedy recovery and will support them as much as possible throughout their recovery process. On the technical side, we will now analyse the positive findings from the weekend ahead of Most in order to continue our upward trend.”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “First and foremost, we wish both riders a speedy recovery and hope for their quick return so that we can build on the strong performances from Saturday here in Hungary together again in Most. We were very pleased to see Miguel deliver a very strong qualifying performance and, by the end of the day, clearly demonstrate our podium potential with third place in the main race. The qualifying could have been even better: without the yellow flags, Miguel would have taken second place. That clearly shows that we have a highly competitive team and rider line-up. Unfortunately, on Sunday we were unable to carry that strong performance into the Superpole Race and race two due to a chain of unfortunate circumstances. With both riders unable to continue, a highly promising weekend came to an end. However, we can travel to Most with plenty of confidence and hope to fight for the podium again there with two fit riders, in order to keep the championship exciting. When everything comes together, we are the second-strongest force behind the Ducati factory team. We will continue fighting for podiums and, hopefully soon, for victories again, and we are looking forward to making the most of our bike’s strengths in Most. We remain optimistic about the future, even though this Sunday was a very difficult one.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 21°, track temperature: 34°, humidity: 36%, conditions: dry.

Race 1.

Air temperature: 23°, track temperature: 40°, humidity: 35%, conditions: dry, laps: 21.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 2, 1:38.783 (new record)

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 20°, track temperature: 35°, humidity: 37%, conditions: dry, laps: 8 (after red flag).

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 3, 1:38.230 (new record)

Race 2.

Air temperature: 23°, track temperature: 41°, humidity: 29%, conditions: dry, laps: 21.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 2, 1:38.569

Current riders’ classification (R04/12, after 12 of 36 races).

Current manufacturers’ classification (R04/12, after 12 of 36 races).

Munich. The BMW Group and BMW M Motorsport mourn the passing of Alessandro Zanardi. The racing driver, long-standing works driver and corporate ambassador passed away unexpectedly in Italy on 1st May, as confirmed by his family. “Alex” Zanardi was 59 years old. In these difficult hours, the thoughts of the BMW Group are with his wife Daniela, his son Niccol , and all his relatives and friends. “Alex” was a wonderful human being, an unwavering optimist and an inspiration to many people around the world. The company has lost a compelling humanitarian and representative; BMW M Motorsport has lost an ambitious and successful athlete from the family of its works drivers. 

Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH, said: “Alex Zanardi was one of the most extraordinary people I have ever had the privilege of meeting. His courage, his zest for life, his positive energy and his passion for motorsport deeply impressed and touched all of us at BMW M. Alex was far more than an outstanding athlete and ambassador for our brand. He was a true member of our BMW M Motorsport family. Together with BMW M Motorsport, Alex wrote a very special story. He showed what is possible when talent, determination, trust and technical expertise come together. His achievements in the race car were impressive, but the impact he had as a person was even greater. With his unwavering attitude and optimism, he inspired people all over the world. We are losing a wonderful human being, a great fighter and a friend. Our thoughts are with his wife Daniela, his son Niccol  and his family. We will miss Alex very much, and at BMW M we will always keep a special place for him in our history and in our hearts.”

Zanardi was born in Bologna on 23rd October 1966. After competing in Formula 1, where he contested 41 Grands Prix, he moved to the American CART series and became Champ Car champion in 1997 and 1998. In a dramatic racing accident at the Lausitzring on 15th September 2001, he lost both legs and had to be resuscitated several times. But Zanardi never gave up and, in 2005, made his comeback as a BMW Motorsport works driver in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) as a double amputee –  a comeback he crowned with victory at Oschersleben on 29th August 2005. He also contested several 24-hour races for BMW Motorsport, competed in the Blancpain Sprint Series in 2014, and made guest appearances in the DTM.

Alongside his motor racing career, Zanardi also began a new sporting career and once again demonstrated what is possible in life with dedication, willpower and ambition. In handcycling, he won two gold medals at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. Four years later, at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, he again won two gold medals and one silver medal in handcycling. He also completed several long-distance triathlons, including the legendary Ironman in Hawaii. In 2007, he finished fourth in the New York Marathon. Through his “Bimbingamba” foundation, Zanardi supported children and young people who had suffered amputations and did not have access to adequate care. Through “Obiettivo 3”, he helped to involve athletes with disabilities being introduced to sport.

After another serious accident during a handcycling competition near Pienza on 19th June 2020, Alex Zanardi withdrew from the public eye. Lovingly cared for by his family, he moved between hospital, rehabilitation and his home in Padua. Alex Zanardi once said: “You want to climb the mountain because it’s there and you know you can do it.” Now, the ultimate survivor has embarked on his final journey. Ciao, Alex!

+++ Masters champions Patrick Reed and Sergio García tee off at the BMW International Open (1-5 July 2026) +++ Munich debut for PGA TOUR winner Carlos Ortiz +++ Bernd Wiesberger in excellent form at Golfclub München Eichenried +++ Crowd favourites Andrew “Beef” Johnston and Rafa Cabrera Bello as well as other world-class golfers on the entry list +++

Munich. In two months' time, the BMW International Open, the only DP World Tour (DPWT) event in Germany, will take place at Golfclub München Eichenried from 1st to 5th July 2026. BMW is organising the iconic tournament for the 37th time. Visitors can look forward to the familiar atmosphere, the first-class BMW brand experience and an interesting, high-calibre field of players. Masters winners Patrick Reed (USA) and Sergio García (ESP) will be returning to Munich, as will Bernd Wiesberger (AUT), who celebrated his ninth title on the DPWT last weekend. Mexican Carlos Ortiz will be making his first appearance at the BMW International Open.

Ortiz is very rarely seen in Europe and has never played in Germany before; that will change at the BMW International Open. The 35-year-old joined the PGA TOR winner‘s circle at the 2020 Houston Open and underlined his class last year with a fourth place at the U.S. Open.

Sergio García and Patrick Reed have even known what it feels like to triumph at a major since their Masters titles in 2017 and 2018 respectively. The two Ryder Cup greats really appreciate the BMW International Open and are looking forward to coming to Munich again this year. Reed is currently in impressive form. The 35-year-old has already won two DPWT tournaments this year, leads the season standings and recently finished tied twelfth at the Masters.

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger is also on a high. The 40-year-old triumphed at the China Open last weekend, his first win on the DPWT since 2021. Wiesberger is also an avowed fan of the BMW International Open and will again tee off in Eichenried in July.

Munich can also look forward to the return of a real crowd favourite. Andrew “Beef” Johnston (ENG) is an asset to any golf tournament and will certainly be accompanied by many fans again at the BMW International Open 2026. The same applies to Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP), who has entered for the highlight of the golf season in Germany, as well as South Africans Thriston Lawrence (winner of the 2023 BMW International Open) and Jayden Schaper (current number three in the "Race to Dubai"), as well as the DPWT “Rookie of the Year”, Martin Couvra from France.

Tickets for the BMW International Open are available at:
www.bmw-golfsport.com/tickets

Discounted tickets are available for young people (15-17 years), students and people with disabilities. The ticket price includes a free shuttle bus service between Ismaning S-Bahn station and the golf club from Thursday to Sunday, as well as free parking at the tournament site, subject to availability. Admission to the Pro-Am tournament (Wednesday, 1 July 2026) is generally free. Children and young people up to and including the age of 14 also have free admission on all other days. For the first time, the BMW International Open 2026 will offer an after-work ticket for Thursday or Friday, which is valid from 3 pm and is available at half the price of a day ticket.

+++ The long-term project MINDS FOR TOMORROW by the BMW Group and DEIN MÜNCHEN introduces itself +++ Young people design clapper boards and T-shirts for the BBL home game against RASTA Vechta +++ BMW Munich supports the project with 1,000 euros for every Bayern home game dunk +++

Munich. On Sunday, FC Bayern Basketball will face RASTA Vechta at BMW Park (4:30 pm). The matchday is dedicated entirely to MINDS FOR TOMORROW. The BMW Group and DEIN MÜNCHEN have launched this multi-year project, which makes new perspectives tangible for young people and sets a new social feel for the city of Munich. The project is fully financed by the DUNKS FOR TOMORROW initiative, through which BMW Munich has donated 1,000 euros for every home game dunk by FCBB since the very first day of the partnership with FC Bayern Basketball.

In a MINDS FOR TOMORROW workshop with Munich artist Chelo, young people designed the motif for the clapper boards. The design will also appear on a limited number of T-shirts. These will be worn on Sunday by the player escorts, whose parents all work for the BMW Group, as well as the young people involved in the project. As a special highlight, the motif will also be impressively displayed on the video glass floor.

The workshop with Chelo and the presentation of the results on matchday are exemplary of the MINDS FOR TOMORROW approach where people from disadvantaged backgrounds often face particular challenges. Their talents and abilities are obvious. That is why they especially need perspectives, positive role models, and opportunities for active participation. It is crucial to open up access for them, enable participation, and make belonging and self-efficacy tangible.

MINDS FOR TOMORROW creates spaces and situations in which young people have a voice and are heard. At the same time, inspiring role models provide orientation and inspiration that surprise and spark curiosity. The creative design of the clapper boards, which will be held by thousands of basketball fans, is one such moment. The young people feel that their actions matter and that they can make a difference. They actively contribute and bring about change.

MINDS FOR TOMORROW will present itself at the home game on Sunday in the Presenter Box at the main entrance of BMW Park. Visitors can find out more about the initiative from DEIN MÜNCHEN staff, talk to the young people involved, or, with a bit of luck, win one of the limited-edition T-shirts.

Quotes.

Alexander Bilgeri (BMW Group Head of Communications for HR, Production, Purchasing, Sustainability): “At the BMW Group, we want to contribute as part of society to solving the challenges of today and tomorrow. A strong community is created when people have fair opportunities – especially young people. That’s why we need to encourage them to take their future into their own hands. With MINDS FOR TOMORROW, we are committed to enabling greater equality of opportunity and genuine participation for young people in Munich.”

Mara Bertling (Founder & Managing Director, DEIN MÜNCHEN):
“Together with the BMW Group, we are taking on the task of making the fading ‘silver lining on the horizon’ shine again for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. On a new level, MINDS FOR TOMORROW expands its impact, sets impulses, and, by activating a future mindset among young people as well as throughout Munich’s urban society, provokes a real departure towards something new – a transformation from fear of the future into courage for the future.”

Chelo (Artist): “It was a great experience to do the workshop – something I had never experienced before. I didn’t know what would happen, DEIN MÜNCHEN didn’t know what would happen, BMW didn’t know what would happen. In the end, it was wonderful to see the good that comes out when young people work creatively.”

DUNKS FOR TOMORROW.

For many years, the BMW Group has supported educational projects at its locations worldwide. We believe that education is the engine that drives the development of our society. It ensures growth, prosperity, and social stability. Every young person has talents within them. However, there is not always an environment in which these talents can become visible.

With the start of the partnership between BMW Munich and FC Bayern Munich Basketball, DUNKS FOR TOMORROW was launched. The initiative is a cornerstone of the collaboration, through which the partners assume social responsibility in their shared hometown. For every dunk by the Bayern basketball players in a home game, BMW supports a local educational project with 1,000 euros. Each dunk thus stands not only for a special sporting moment but also for real opportunities in the lives of young people.

In the 2023/24 season, FC Bayern Basketball raised 141,000 euros in this way, with which BMW supported SOS-Kinderdorf e.V. and various educational projects that help children and young people on their way to academic and professional success.

Since the 2024/25 season, BMW has been working with the organisation DEIN MÜNCHEN as part of DUNKS FOR TOMORROW. Their goal is to integrate children and young people who grow up in social and financial risk situations into society and to involve them sustainably. Key levers for this are equal opportunities and participation, as well as imparting knowledge, skills, and a healthy sense of self-worth.

In the first season of collaboration with DEIN MÜNCHEN, BMW was able to support the NO LIMITS! program with 125,000 euros. With NO LIMITS!, DEIN MÜNCHEN accompanies young people on their path of personal development, strengthens their self-confidence, and fosters potential and strengths for a self-determined life.

MINDS FOR TOMORROW.

In the 2025/26 season, the BMW Group and DEIN MÜNCHEN have launched a new programme that is designed to run over several years and is financed through DUNKS FOR TOMORROW. Appropriately, it bears the name MINDS FOR TOMORROW. With this, the BMW Group is taking the next step in its successful collaboration with DEIN MÜNCHEN to make a lasting impact in their shared hometown of Munich and to create future opportunities for young people facing challenging starting conditions. This strengthens social cohesion and contributes to a vibrant and strong urban community.

Young people in difficult life situations often lack contacts, opportunities, and places where they can develop a positive outlook. This is where the MINDS FOR TOMORROW programme comes in. The aim is to spark curiosity, strengthen self-confidence, and open up new perspectives for these young people. Through creative activities, they discover their own strengths and develop an attitude that enables them to actively shape their future and our society.

MINDS FOR TOMORROW is divided into three phases. In the first step, around 40 young people are trained as multipliers and motivators. They acquire skills in areas such as project management and communication, as well as creativity and strategy development. In the second phase, these 40 young people will carry out more than 30 creative activities such as workshops, flash mobs, art projects, or sports events. They act as authentic voices for their peer group and inspire courage as positive role models.

The final component of the project is an urban, public event where the young people showcase, through their self-developed projects and ideas, the potential within them and demonstrate that they can actively participate in and contribute to society when empowered to do so. The BMW Group will accompany all three stages of the project and support them with employees acting as mentors.

Le Mans. The season opener of the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) turned into an emotional rollercoaster for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. At the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA), the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team led comfortably with the #37 BMW M 1000 RR until the morning hours. However, technical issues in the final third of the race set the factory team back. Despite that, they secured important points with the lead at the crucial eight- and 16-hour marks and by ultimately finishing 12th in the EWC class. The best-placed BMW team was ERC Endurance #6 with an impressive fourth place, followed by BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Team Japan, AutoRace Ube Racing, in fifth. An outstanding sixth place overall – and a dominant victory in the Superstock class – went to the #38 BMW M 1000 RR of Champion-HERT powered by MRP.

The factory trio on the #37 BMW M 1000 RR, Michael van der Mark (NED), Markus Reiterberger (GER), and Steven Odendaal (RSA), impressed in the two-part qualifying session, missing pole position by just 0.032 seconds. Starting from second on the grid, they entered the 24-hour marathon and everything ran perfectly for hour after hour. After eight and 16 hours, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team collected bonus points for leading and headed into the new day comfortably at the front of the field. Then however, various technical problems arose, followed by a lengthy repair stop in the closing stages. The team was able to return to the track and take the chequered flag to secure more points. The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team leaves Le Mans sixth in the world championship standings.

Starting from ninth place, ERC Endurance #6 steadily worked its way forward over the course of the 24 hours. In the end, Kenny Foray (FRA), David Checa (ESP), and new addition Marcel Schrötter (GER) celebrated an excellent fourth place overall. AutoRace Ube, with Sylvain Guintoli (FRA), Hannes Soomer (EST), and Naomichi Uramoto (JPN) aboard the #76 BMW M 1000 RR, was also in the mix among the top teams and secured fifth place.

In the Superstock class, the BMW M 1000 RR once again proved to be the bike to beat. In qualifying, the Japanese Team Étoile (#25) celebrated pole position, while Team Tecmas – Minerva Oil (#9) secured second on the grid. In the race, Champion-HERT Powered by MRP took control with the #38 BMW M 1000 RR. Balint Kovacs (HUN), Jan Bühn (GER), Loris Cresson (FRA), and Mate Szamado (HUN) not only celebrated a commanding Superstock victory but also caused a stir with sixth place overall.

The second round of the 2026 FIM EWC, the eight-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, will take place in early June.

Reactions after the Le Mans season opener:

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Despite everything, we can be very proud of our performance at Le Mans. Of course, it wasn’t the ending we had hoped for. We had an extremely tough but very productive winter of preparation and were able to improve in every area – which I believe we demonstrated impressively up until hour 16. Our efficiency has increased. All three riders, Mickey, Markus and Steven, did a flawless job, and the pit stops worked very well. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough in the end. Nevertheless, we are all the more proud that we managed to get the bike across the finish line and score important points. We are also very proud of what our customer teams achieved. We secured fourth, fifth, and sixth places. ERC as the best BMW team showed an extremely strong race pace, with riders Kenny, David and Marcel in his 24-hour debut. The AutoRace Ube Racing Team also went straight into the top five in their first appearance – an absolutely top performance. There, we saw the potential that the very strong rider trio Naomichi, Sylvain, and Hannes can extract from the bike. We would like to thank James Bungo and Uwe Reinhardt for these performances. It is absolutely brilliant that, with Champion-HERT, we won the Superstock class by more than ten laps. Now, starting tomorrow, it’s time for hard work to begin preparations for Spa. The fight for the world championship continues there.”

Werner Daemen, Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “The weekend started very well. We were the fastest in all the practice sessions. We had a perfect qualifying, even though we were 0.03 seconds behind YART. The start of the race was good. I think we had the best strategy in terms of fuel consumption, and we took no risks. Then, in the morning, we had a small technical issue. Because of that issue, Michael hit another rider and we crashed. Later, after the crash, we had a small oil leak. Then we had another technical issue. I can’t say what it is because we still have to investigate it in detail. But in the end, we still had a very good result as a team. Now it’s on to Spa, where I hope we can fight for the victory.”

Michael van der Mark, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “It was fantastic, but with a bittersweet end. I was having an awesome time here, and the whole team was doing great. We had a outstanding bike, and Steven and Markus were really strong and consistent. Honestly, the team did a great job this winter. We scored a lot of points in the first eight hours and after 16 hours. Unfortunately, this morning we started to have some issues, and I had a small crash. After that, things just kept getting worse and worse. It’s a shame, but we showed how fast and consistent we are. In the end, we scored some points. I think this is why endurance racing can be one of the nicest races in the world, but also one of the most cruel.”

Markus Reiterberger, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “The race itself was actually good. We had a great rhythm. All three riders were fast, and the fuel strategy was flawless. We were able to do many, many more laps than the competition and thus secured the eight- and 16-hour points. All the riders were in great form, and the team worked together perfectly. Unfortunately, then the issues started: a minor problem with the bike, which was fixed quickly, Michael’s crash, which caused some minor consequential damage, and in the end we had another issue. But we managed to bring it home to the finish and at least take the points with us. Of course, we are very disappointed because we really wanted to win Le Mans, and I believe we had what it takes this year. But we’re not giving up – we’re still in the fight. Many thanks to the whole team: they gave it their all and did a really great job, and I hope and believe they will be rewarded for it at some point.”

Steven Odendaal, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “Overall, I think the team did a really good job. My teammates put in a big effort, and they performed really well. Coming back from an injury that I knew would make this race difficult to even finish – without giving my teammates extra work – was an achievement in itself. Unfortunately, the way it ended is really sad, but there’s nothing we can do about that. I think there are things to learn for the future, and we move on. We salvaged as many points as we could this weekend, and we’ll see what the next one brings.”

Facts and figures.

Qualifying (combined).

Race.

Current World Championship standings (R01/04).

Assen. The third round of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) took place at the historic TT Circuit in Assen (NED). For BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, it turned into a turbulent race weekend – highlighted by an outstanding Superpole performance from Danilo Petrucci (ITA) and a strong comeback ride from Miguel Oliveira (POR) on Saturday. Sunday, however, proved more challenging.

Fourth place in Superpole qualifying showed that Petrucci is becoming increasingly comfortable with his #9 BMW M 1000 RR. Accordingly, confidence was high heading into the main race on Saturday afternoon. However, race control ruled a jump start, and Petrucci had to serve a double long-lap penalty. As a result, he crossed the finish line in 18th place.

Oliveira started the first race from 13th on the grid and steadily worked his way forward aboard his #88 BMW M 1000 RR. After 21 laps, he finished in seventh place, collecting more valuable points. On Sunday, both riders faced greater difficulties. Petrucci finished the Superpole Race and race two in seventh and ninth positions. Oliveira recorded 11th and 12th places. The action continues in two weeks at the Balaton Park Circuit in Hungary.

Reactions after the Assen round.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Assen was a challenging race weekend for us, even though we arrived with strong momentum following the good results at Portimão. Various factors prevented us from achieving the result we had hoped for. This makes it all the more important that we now consistently analyse the insights we’ve gained and work on them in a targeted way. The team and the riders responded as a unit and are looking ahead. With Balaton, we have a circuit coming up where we aim to position ourselves better again. Our goal is to show clear improvement there and get back on the attack.”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Assen was a difficult weekend for us. Our goal was clear: to collect a lot of points. We partially achieved that, but the results did not match what we had set out to do. The pace for the top five was there for both Miguel and Danilo, and the fact that, following Miguel’s podiums at Portimão, we now had the potential with both riders to fight for the podium is a step forward. However, in the races we lacked execution and a bit of race luck. We were unable to convert the potential over race distance into the corresponding results, for various reasons. That is why we leave Assen with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the performance confirmed the potential; on the other, we were unable to score possible points and suffered a setback after Portimão. Now we move on to Hungary, a stop-and-go circuit where our strengths should come more into play. There, we expect to see a different weekend on both sides of the garage.”

Miguel Oliveira, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It was a tough weekend for us. We know Assen is always a bit of a challenge, but we fought hard. The team gave absolutely everything to put the best possible bike out there on track, but it was still challenging. Without a good qualifying, we were left mid-pack and we didn’t optimise the result. Yesterday was kind of okay, but today it was even more difficult to move forward through the field. Still, we’re heading to a new track where we know the bike can work well, so we’re looking forward to that, and as always, we’ll be ready to fight.”

Danilo Petrucci, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “This weekend was crazy. I immediately felt good on the bike, and I’m starting to really enjoy it. Superpole qualifying was really good: I enjoyed the bike and put in a good lap time. Then yesterday there was the penalty for the jump start. I’m not sure I actually did a jump start, but the rules are the rules. I think the penalty was too long and not really fair, especially since I didn’t gain any position. But anyway, today we were able to score some points. We fought, and we can look at the positive side. I think our bike will work really well in the next two rounds. I enjoy those tracks, so we have to focus on the positives. For sure, we’re still working on the bike, so there’s still potential. I can’t wait to ride the bike again as soon as possible.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 16°, track temperature: 20°, humidity: 59%, conditions: dry.

*  New all time lap record

Race 1.

Air temperature: 14°, track temperature: 21°, humidity: 75%, conditions: dry, laps: 21.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 6, 1:33.341 (new record)

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 11°, track temperature: 15°, humidity: 72%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 2, 1:32.357 (new record)

Race 2.

Air temperature: 10°, track temperature: 15°, humidity: 69%, conditions: dry, laps: 21.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 4, 1:33.162

Current riders’ classification (R03/12, after 9 of 36 races).

Current manufacturers’ classification (R03/12, after 9 of 36 races).

+++ Ben Shelton (USA) prevails against Flavio Cobolli (ITA) in the Munich final 6:2; 7:5 +++ Champion of the ATP 500 tournament is rewarded with an all-electric BMW iX3 +++ FUTURE ACES: 300 coaching lessons for disadvantaged young people +++ Doubles title goes to local heroes Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner (both GER) +++

Munich. Ben Shelton did it on the second attempt. After losing to Alexander Zverev (GER) in last year's final, the 23-year-old won the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026. The number two seed Shelton defeated Flavio Cobolli 6:2 and 7:5 in the final in front of more than 6,000 spectators on the packed Centre Court. The Italian had knocked out the top seed Zverev in the semi-finals, but succumbed to his opponent's powerful game on Sunday. It was the fifth win on the ATP Tour and the second on clay for Shelton, who has been a crowd favourite since his first serve in Munich.

In addition to the prize money (467,485 euros) and 500 world ranking points, Shelton was also awarded the traditional leather trousers and the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive (WLTP energy consumption combined: 17,9 - 15,1 kWh/100 km; WLTP CO₂ emissions combined: 0 g/km; CO2-class: A; WLTP electric range: 679-805km) as the winner of the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026. The all-electric winner’s vehicle is the first Neue Klasse model, which marks a huge leap forward in terms of electromobility, display and operating concept, digitalisation, connectivity, design, and sustainability. The new BMW iX3 and the BMW X5 with hydrogen technology were also part of the fully electrified shuttle fleet, which covered a distance of more than 65,000 kilometres during the BMW Open and brought players, visitors and customers safely and punctually to their destination.

Over the course of tournament week, which attracted a total of around 70,000 spectators, the professionals served 300 aces in the singles and doubles competitions, earning the same number of training hours that the BMW Group donates to the FUTURE ACES programme and young people in need. FUTURE ACES was launched last year together with MTTC Iphitos, organiser MMP EVENTS and other tournament partners. Six youngsters are now integrated into club life at MTTC Iphitos and train there regularly. A session even took place during the BMW Open by Bitpanda, which was also attended by tournament director Patrik Kühnen and top talent Justin Engel.

Quotes.

Tim Beltermann, Head of BMW Germany: “The electrifying final was the highlight of a great tournament week that once again thrilled Munich. Congratulations to Ben Shelton, who prevailed against the best field of players in 39 years of the BMW Open and can now enjoy a well-deserved new era of driving pleasure in the BMW iX3. Many thanks to all the players for the 300 aces with which they support our FUTURE ACES and thus our commitment to future prospects for all young people.”

Ben Shelton, winner BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026: “The BMW Open is an amazing tournament, it's an honour to be here. I hope I can come back to Munich for many years to come. I love the energy that comes from the stands during my matches, and the Kids Day in Munich is one of my favourite days out here on tour. Thank you to everyone who came here.“

Patrik Kühnen, Tournament Director: “We saw a very interesting field of players with big names and new faces. Many of the matches had character and were pairings that you usually only see in the third or fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament. The fans were able to experience passionate, offensive and top-class tennis. I am very happy about the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026.”

Schnaitter and Wallner win doubles competition.

Victory in the "final at home": Jakob Schnaitter from Wasserburg am Inn and Mark Wallner from Munich have celebrated their first ATP doubles title. The local heroes had played their way into the main draw after qualifying and defeated the French duo Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti 6:4; 6:7; 12:10 in a thrilling final.

FUTURE ACES: Programme giving children and young people access to tennis.

The long-term FUTURE ACES programme gives disadvantaged children and young people access to tennis and helps to broaden their future prospects. FUTURE ACES was initiated by the BMW Group and implemented together with partners of the BMW Open by Bitpanda – above all with MTTC Iphitos and the organiser MMP.

Every ace hit during the BMW Open corresponds to a coaching lesson at MTTC Iphitos. Children and young people are given the opportunity to learn tennis and develop their skills in a supportive environment. The programme promotes the development of the participants‘ potential and supports them on their path to a self-determined life as FUTURE ACES. The BMW Group is convinced that a strong society is created by empowering the individual. When young people are given the tools and gain the confidence to take their own path and shape it positively, a better future for everyone emerges.

At last year‘s BMW Open by Bitpanda 2025, 361 coaching hours were earned. This enabled 16 young people to try out tennis at a Whitsun camp lasting several days. Six youngsters decided to stick with the programme and were integrated into regular training and club life in the long term. The aim is to discover personal potential, strengthen personality, establish social contacts and broaden future prospects in addition to sporting activity. The programme will continue in 2026: The 300 aces from the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026 and the associated donation will not only continue to support the six young people, but a new FUTURE ACES cohort will also start after the tournament.

Winner‘s Car 2026: BMW iX3 50 xDrive.

The BMW iX3 is the first Neue Klasse model with which BMW has launched a new era of driving pleasure. An instant success, it has established a new design language and set standards for driving dynamics and performance. A range of up to 805 kilometres, battery charging at up to 400 kW and an energy consumption of just 17.9–15.1 kWh/100 km (WLTP) demonstrate the outstanding abilities of the new BMW iX3. The new BMW Panoramic iDrive brings innovation to the interior. The high-performance control unit Heart of Joy and BMW Dynamic Performance Control take driving pleasure to an entirely new level.

Plenty of compelling reasons led the expert jury at the World Car Awards to declare the BMW iX3 the 2026 “World Car of the Year” – and thus the standout new vehicle on the international automotive markets – following extensive test drives. On top of that, the model won the 2026 “World Electric Vehicle” title. The BMW iX3 is therefore an absolute winner in its own right, making it the ideal special prize for the champion of the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026.

Allianz Para Trophy.

For the fifth time, the Allianz Para Trophy has been played at MTTC Iphitos alongside the BMW Open by Bitpanda. The UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour tournament has long since established itself as a sporting highlight. The Allianz Para Trophy has been upgraded to a 500-category tournament and featured the premiere of the “Quad Division” this year, in which players with disabilities in at least three limbs compete.

The “Open Division” was won convincingly by top seed Gustavo Fernandez from Argentina in two sets (6:4; 6:3) against Frenchman Stephane Houdet, successfully repeating his tournament victory from the inaugural year (2022). In the Quad Division, world number two Sam Schroder from the Netherlands also prevailed clearly. He defeated world number three, Israeli Guy Sasson, 6:4; 6:0.

+++ Seven top 20 players will compete at the BMW Open by Bitpanda (11-19 April, MTTC Iphitos) +++ All-electric “World Car of the Year” BMW iX3 for the winner of the ATP 500 tournament +++ Social commitment FUTURE ACES enters its second season +++ BMW is involved as title partner in its home city for the 39th time +++

Munich. Kick-off to the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026 at BMW Welt: This year's Winner‘s Car of the ATP 500 tournament was presented at a press conference today (Friday). The winner can look forward to the new all-electric BMW iX3 50 xDrive (WLTP energy consumption combined: 17,9 - 15,1 kWh/100 km; WLTP CO₂ emissions combined: 0 g/km; CO2-class: A), the first model of the Neue Klasse. The road to the title promises great excitement and top-class sport, as the strongest field in the history of the tournament is coming to Munich. Led by defending champion Alexander Zverev (GER), who is aiming for his fourth BMW Open victory and would thus become the sole record winner, as well as Ben Shelton (USA) and Alexander Bublik (KAZ), a total of seven players from the top 20 of the world rankings will be competing in the singles competition.

Since last year, the BMW Open by Bitpanda has attached particular importance to them scoring as many aces as possible. Together with its tournament partners, BMW launched the FUTURE ACES initiative at the tournament's premiere as an ATP 500 event and donated a coaching lesson for young people in need for every ace scored during the tournament. Over the past twelve months, six young people who would otherwise have no access to tennis have been able to train regularly and be integrated into club life at MTTC Iphitos. They will all continue to be supported by the aces of this year's tournament, and a new group will be able to start the programme.

Statements.

Tim Beltermann, Head of BMW Germany: “The BMW iX3 is the first Neue Klasse model, with which BMW has entered a new era of driving pleasure. The all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle has established a new design language and set standards for driving dynamics, and is therefore the perfect Winner’s Car for this great tournament. I wish us all first-class tennis and, in connection with that, many aces for FUTURE ACES. Through tennis, young people gain skills and perspectives that help them on their way to a self-determined life.”

Patrik Kühnen, Tournament Director: “World-class tennis from the very first rally and across all competitions – we couldn't wish for more in terms of sport and are proud to present the fans and spectators with what is probably the most attractive field of participants in this traditional tournament history.”

Dr. Fabian Tross, Chairman MTTC Iphitos: “We have managed the balancing act of organising a major ATP 500 tournament while at the same time retaining the familiar atmosphere that has always characterised the BMW Open by Bitpanda. This has been very well received by the audience, with the venue already full on the qualifying weekend and a great atmosphere. This is anything but commonplace on the ATP Tour.”

Christian Okon, CEO MMP Event, Tournament Organiser: “This year's field emphasises that Munich is already a top address on the ATP Tour in its second year as an ATP 500 tournament. Coupled with the special atmosphere and the unique set-up, we have all the ingredients for a fantastic week of tournament action.”

Winner‘s Car 2026: BMW iX3 50 xDrive.

The BMW iX3 is the first model of the Neue Klasse, with which BMW has launched a new era of driving pleasure. An instant success, it has established a new design language and set standards for driving dynamics and performance. A range of up to 805 kilometres, battery charging at up to 400 kW and an energy consumption of just 17.9–15.1 kWh/100 km (WLTP) demonstrate the outstanding abilities of the new BMW iX3. The new BMW Panoramic iDrive brings innovation to the interior. The high-performance control unit Heart of Joy and BMW Dynamic Performance Control take driving pleasure to an entirely new level.

Plenty of compelling reasons for the expert jury at the World Car Awards to declare the BMW iX3 the 2026 “World Car of the Year” – and thus the standout new vehicle on the international automotive markets – following extensive test drives. On top of that, the model won the 2026 “World Electric Vehicle” title. The BMW iX3 is therefore an absolute winner in its own right, making it the ideal special prize for the champion of the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026.

FUTURE ACES: Programme giving children and young people access to tennis.

The long-term FUTURE ACES programme gives disadvantaged children and young people access to tennis and helps to broaden their future prospects. FUTURE ACES was initiated by the BMW Group and implemented together with partners of the BMW Open by Bitpanda – above all with MTTC Iphitos and the organiser MMP.

Every ace hit during the BMW Open corresponds to a coaching lesson at MTTC Iphitos. Children and young people are given the opportunity to learn tennis and develop their skills in a supportive environment. Mentors from the partners and other measures accompany the participants with the aim of strengthening their skills and opening up long-term prospects. The programme promotes the development of the participants‘ potential and supports them on their path to a self-determined life as FUTURE ACES.

At the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2025, 361 coaching hours were earned. This enabled 16 young people to try out tennis at a Whitsun camp lasting several days. Six youngsters decided to stick with the programme and were integrated into regular training and club life in the long term. The programme will continue in 2026: The aces and the associated donation will be used to continue supporting the six youngsters, and a new FUTURE ACES cohort will also start after the BMW Open 2026.

Star players BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026.

The singles field at this year's BMW Open by Bitpanda has it all. Including Alexander Zverev (GER), Ben Shelton (USA) and Alexander Bublik (KAZ), a total of seven players from the top 20 of the world rankings are taking part. Flavio Cobolli, Luciano Darderi (both ITA), Jiri Lehecka (CZE) and Francisco Cerúndolo (ARG) complete this group. In addition to Zverev, Yannick Hanfmann, Jan-Lennard Struff and Justin Engel will also fly the German flag via a wild card. For the first time, tennis fans in Munich will have the chance to see shooting star Joao Fonseca from Brazil and top Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas in action.

Fans can also look forward to Grand Slam champions and illustrious names in the doubles competition. First and foremost, the number one seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz from Germany. In addition to former BMW Open winners such as Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler (both AUT) and world-class doubles players, prominent singles specialists are also on the entry list this year. Zverev will be competing with doubles legend Marcelo Melo (BRA), with whom he shares a friendship. Francisco Cerúndolo, Darderi and Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) will also be competing in the doubles.

Allianz Para Trophy.

Once again, the Allianz Para Trophy will be played at MTTC Iphitos from 16 to 18 April alongside the BMW Open by Bitpanda. The UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour tournament has long since established itself as a sporting highlight. The Allianz Para Trophy has been upgraded to a 500-category tournament and is featuring the premiere of the “Quad Division” this year, in which players with disabilities in at least three limbs compete. As in the “Open Division”, the field of players in Munich consists of eight athletes. The “Quad Division” has an outstanding line-up, as the top three players in the current world rankings will be competing. First and foremost is the world number one, Niels Vink from the Netherlands, who has already won the “Career Golden Slam” – all Grand Slam titles and the Paralympic gold medal. Fans can also look forward to world-class sport in the “Open Division”. For example, Gustavo Fernández from Argentina, who has won Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in his career to date, will be competing.

About BMW Welt.

With its iconic, award-winning architecture, BMW Welt is one of Bavaria’s most visited attractions and symbolizes the BMW Group’s innovative strength. Since its opening in 2007, it has welcomed over 2 million visitors annually. Together with the BMW Museum and BMW Group Classic, it forms an important part of the brand experience in Munich.

BMW Welt unites all BMW Group brands – BMW, BMW M, MINI, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, and BMW Motorrad – under one roof. Visitors will find exhibitions and brand presentations and can pick up new vehicles in a unique setting. Since its opening, more than 280,000 vehicles have been delivered.

The event program includes a year-round program of cultural, artistic, sporting, and entertainment events. BMW Welt’s spaces are also available for external events. The offerings are complemented by guided tours, product consultations, and the educational program at THE CAMPUS for children and families. Several restaurants, including the fine-dining restaurant THE CLOUD by Käfer, provide culinary options.

Munich. What began as a global digital collaboration is now coming full circle on the racetrack: Following its successful launch in Rocket League and Fortnite in late 2025, the BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the distinctive design of “BLEACH”, one of the world’s biggest anim ated TV series, will now compete in real-world motorsport. In close collaboration with “BLEACH”, Epic Games and Team Studie from Japan, the car will be entered in the GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS during the 2026 season. In addition, the project will also appear at the prestigious Suzuka 1000KM, part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC).

The project originally introduced the BMW M4 GT3 EVO into the globally popular games Fortnite and Rocket League, where players were able to drive the race car in a design inspired by “BLEACH”. The livery references the iconic outfit of the main character Ichigo Kurosaki, translating the visual language of anime culture onto a modern GT racing car.

“Bringing the BMW M4 GT3 EVO into Fortnite and Rocket League was the starting point of an exciting journey,” said Timo Brückner, Project Lead BMW M Automotive Gaming. “These platforms are global meeting points for a new generation of motorsport fans. Together with our partners at ‘BLEACH’, Epic Games and Team Studie, we are now taking the next step by bringing the same car, in the same iconic design, back into real-world racing. Seeing this special BMW M4 GT3 EVO compete on track truly completes the circle between gaming, pop culture and motorsport.”

Beyond the race car itself, the “BLEACH” identity will be visible across the entire team environment. The BMW M4 GT3 EVO will compete in the full “BLEACH” race design, complemented by driver race suits in matching visual style, as well as pit box branding aligned with the campaign identity. This integrated approach ensures a strong and consistent visual presence on track, in broadcast coverage and across social media.

The Production Committee of the animated TV series “BLEACH” added: “Seeing this design come to life on a real GT race car and compete in international motorsport together with BMW M and Team Studie is incredibly exciting. This collaboration shows how anime culture can connect with completely new audiences around the world.”

The car will be fielded by Team Studie, one of the most prominent BMW racing teams in Asia. “For Team Studie, it is an honour to bring this extraordinary project onto the racetrack,” said Bob Suzuki, Owner of Team Studie. “Working together with BMW M Motorsport and ‘BLEACH’ on such a unique concept is something very special. The design is visually striking and instantly recognisable, and we are proud to represent this collaboration in GT World Challenge Asia and in the IGTC.”

A central element of the project is the synchronisation between real-world racing and the digital gaming ecosystem. Fans around the world can drive the same car in their favourite games as it competes on track. This creates a unique crossover experience, where audiences can follow the action in real life while experiencing it firsthand in two of the most popular gaming platforms in the world. The collaboration also demonstrates how modern motorsport can expand beyond traditional boundaries. By connecting racing, gaming and anime culture, the project reaches audiences far beyond the racetrack.

Race calendar - BMW M4 GT3 EVO in “BLEACH” design.

GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS:

4th/5th April: Sepang, Malaysia

2nd/3rd May: Mandalika, Indonesia

5th/6th June: Shanghai, China

11th/12th July: Fuji, Japan

29th/30th August: Okayama, Japan

2nd-4th October: Beijing, China

Intercontinental GT Challenge:

11th-13th September: Suzuka 1000km, Japan

Portimão. It was the perfect stage for Miguel Oliveira’s first successes in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) and with the #88 BMW M 1000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. At his home round at Portimão (POR), the Portuguese rider celebrated his first podium finishes in this world championship – in just his second race weekend as a WorldSBK rider. Cheered on by more than 82,000 fans, local hero Oliveira finished third in all three races.

With fourth place in Saturday morning’s Superpole qualifying, Oliveira secured a strong starting position for his home races. With a lap time of 1:39.068 minutes, he even stayed below the previous circuit record set by World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) last year on the BMW M 1000 RR. In Race 1 on Saturday afternoon, the Portuguese rider followed this up with his first WorldSBK podium in third place, creating a true festival atmosphere in the grandstands. Oliveira repeated this result in the short Superpole race on Sunday morning. Accompanied by the crowd’s enthusiastic cheers, he went on to secure third place again in Race 2. This was also a special birthday gift for team principal Shaun Muir, who celebrated his 60th birthday on race Sunday.

His Italian teammate Danilo Petrucci, also new to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team this season on the #9 BMW M 1000 RR, qualified ninth and secured a position on the front rows of the grid. ‘Petrux’ improved over the course of the weekend and finished seventh in the final race on Sunday afternoon. On Saturday, he crossed the line in tenth place, and in the Superpole race he finished twelfth.

The third WorldSBK race weekend of the 2026 season will take place from 17th to 19th April at Assen, the Netherlands.

Reactions after the Portimão round.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “It was the perfect start to our European season. We are all still overwhelmed by the atmosphere here. It was truly a special weekend. Miguel’s home race, seeing him on the podium in all three races, and more than 82,000 spectators – we have never experienced anything like that before. For Miguel and the Portuguese fans it was a magic weekend, and for us as well. We worked very hard over the winter to get our new riders to the front as quickly as possible. We said: first top ten results, then top five. Now we are already on the podiums. And this is just the beginning – we will continue working to reach the very top. Miguel deserves absolute credit for the performance he showed this weekend. And the same goes for Danilo. We must not forget that this was only our second race weekend together. In qualifying things did not quite come together for him, and overtaking is very difficult here. However, Danilo’s pace was also very strong. He did a very good job this weekend, and I believe we can also bring him onto the podium quickly. We are incredibly happy with our rider lineup and are now looking ahead to Assen. A big thank you to the team in Munich, Berlin, and England. Everyone did an outstanding job over the winter. We all hoped to be back on the podium soon, but that it happened so quickly is something special. And it is perfect to wish Shaun a happy birthday. I would also like to give him a very special thank you. Shaun is a key pillar of our success, and we are incredibly happy to have him on board at BMW.”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “It was a wonderful weekend. We are happy to be in Europe, and to already return from the second race weekend with a triple podium shows the potential of our bike. Thank you to the entire team in Munich, Berlin, and England, to all suppliers and partners. The performance of our BMW M 1000 RR and the fact that we have taken another step forward with the package were already clearly visible in qualifying. Last year, with the lap times of our two riders, we would have been in first and second place, and Miguel even beat Toprak’s record. This means that we have taken another step forward and made the package even stronger. However, we could see that our competitors have also improved, and the field has become even more competitive. The fact that we were able to give Miguel the opportunity to stand on the podium three times in front of his home crowd makes us all very happy. Now our shared goal is to soon see both riders on the podium. The path to that is set, and three podiums speak for themselves. The potential is there, and now it’s time to keep working and having fun.”

Shaun Muir, Team Principal ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It has been absolutely a very special birthday gift for me. It‘s been a great weekend. Full credit to Miguel and his team. They‘ve worked so hard and tirelessly. A home round for Miguel, with the phenomenal number of more than 82,000 spectators over the course of the weekend – I‘m totally over the moon for the way they performed. At the other side of the garage, it‘s so close. Danilo is making steps. He is just maybe a little bit off where he wants to be, but we had a much better second race. He made some improvements and I think we can all pat ourselves on the back and look forward to the next round at Assen.”

Miguel Oliveira, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I’m happy to be on the podium in front of my home crowd. It was special for sure to get all the crowds cheering my name and supporting BMW. That was a really, really cool moment. I am happy because it is a good start. We know that we have work ahead of us but we are motivated to work and this is a small reward for the team to show that we are heading in a good direction, that the package is working with me and we should just focus on taking out the maximum we can from ourselves, from my riding and from this bike. The weekend has been super solid, already since Saturday morning. It’s true that today I struggled much more because I used the front tyre too much. The conditions were slightly different. In race two, I had Alex Lowes behind me but I just forgot about him and did my own race. I tried not to do any mistakes and be as consistent as possible. It was just enough to come home in third. I know it's only the second round and I feel there is some happiness but at the same time we want to achieve more. There is not any kind of pressure but we know where we want to go and we have many opportunities and many races to come. So I‘m looking forward to keep learning and keep getting the best out of the bike and myself. Now we go to Assen, a new track for BMW and me together, so hopefully we can get up to speed quickly already on Friday and and get a good job done.”

Danilo Petrucci, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “The weekend was more difficult than I expected. Sincerely I was hoping for more but I still have to find my way to ride the bike. Still we change the bike mostly every session because every time we discover some new things but at the moment we still have to understand how to correctly use the bike. Finally today we understood something more and I've been faster than yesterday, so this is important. I'm so happy to work in this team. They are putting in a lot of effort, and this makes me proud. But at the moment, I can say thanks to them just with the words. I would like to say thanks to them with the results. But every time I finish the race, I cannot wait to have another one. The spirit is good and I can’t wait to go to Assen. It is one of my favourites tracks. Last year, I was on the podium there, fighting with Toprak. Maybe we can replicate that result this year. In general I’m really happy about Miguel’s three podiums because they give a boost of energy to all the team. It also means that the bike is capable to do that and keeps me motivated for the next round. I just want to say that I’m giving all I have for being on the podium again.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 20°, track temperature: 37°, humidity: 60%, conditions: dry.

*  New all time lap record

Race 1.

Air temperature: 21°, track temperature: 38°, humidity: 49%, conditions: dry, laps: 20.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 3, 1:39.962

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 19°, track temperature: 29°, humidity: 39%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 4, 1:39.107 (new record)

Race 2.

Air temperature: 22°, track temperature: 40°, humidity: 31%, conditions: dry, laps: 20.

Fastest race lap: Iker Lecuona, lap 3, 1:39.792

Current riders’ classification (R02/12, after 6 of 36 races).

Current manufacturers’ classification (R02/12, after 6 of 36 races).

+++ Mexico prevails over India and China at the highlight of the biggest international tournament series for amateur golfers +++ 102 Eagles for EAGLES FOR EDUCATION and UNICEF* +++ Individual titles at Fancourt Resort go to India, Moldova and Singapore +++ Guest of honour Gary Player presents trophies +++

George. A unique week of golf at the Fancourt Resort (George, South Africa) and the victory of Team Mexico in the National Team Category ranking saw the 2025 season of the BMW Golf Cup end on a high note. At the World Final of the biggest international tournament series for amateur golfers, which BMW has been hosting since 1987, the national winners from 33 countries experienced a tournament that eclipses the standards of regular amateur events. Competitors and their guests enjoyed an international pro-standard tournament on breathtaking golf courses, captivating evening and supporting events, as well as warm exchanges with golfing enthusiasts from around the world.

At a tournament of this calibre, one of the most successful and influential figures in golf had to be in attendance in his home country. 18-time Major winner Gary Player eagerly embraced the opportunity to attend the World Final, host a golf clinic, and present the trophies at the closing gala dinner. And the 90-year-old was not the only guest of honour; Sweden’s Fanny Sunesson attended the World Final from day one to the close of play and not only wowed those taking part and their guests with her charms but also shared her inexhaustible wealth of experience as a former caddie to some of the world’s best golfers – such as Sir Nick Faldo (ENG) and Adam Scott (AUS).

EAGLES FOR EDUCATION: World finalists support UNICEF with 102 eagles.

With its EAGLES FOR EDUCATION initiative, the BMW Group once again supported the United Nations children’s charity UNICEF at the World Final. For each net eagle, 1,000 euros are being donated to the BMW Group’s collaboration with UNICEF, called “BRIDGE. Educating young people for tomorrow, today”. Over the three rounds of the tournament, the world finalists scored 102 net eagles. The focus of the collaboration is to bridge learning gaps within society and create learning and education opportunities in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

The list of countries where the BMW Group and UNICEF are working together includes South Africa, Brazil, India, Mexico and Thailand – all countries which have BMW Group presence.

Quotes on BMW Golf Cup World Final.

Ilka Horstmeier (GER), Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, People and Places: “Culture and sport inspire people around the world and strengthen social cohesion. The BMW Golf Cup is an integral part of BMW's extensive commitment to golf, which ranges from top-class sport to the promotion of young talent. The World Final in South Africa has brought people from all regions of the world together, friendships have been forged and, thanks to their outstanding performances, the participants have made a contribution to education and thus to the self-determined future of young people. In cooperation with UNICEF, the BMW Group is committed to STEM education in South Africa and four other countries. Thank you to the participants of the World Final for this great contribution.”

Peter van Binsbergen (RSA), CEO BMW Group South Africa: “The BMW Group and South Africa share more than 50 years of history. In 1973, the BMW Group plant became the first production site to be opened outside Germany. As a multi-faceted country with a passion for golf, it was a real honour and pleasure for us to host the World Final again and to play our part in this once-in-a-lifetime experience for our guests with the beauty and warmheartedness of South Africa. I am certain that they will return home with a wealth of unforgettable memories.“

Gary Player (RSA), 18-time Major winner: “The BMW Golf Cup celebrates the very best of our beautiful game: ambition and high-class competition, combined with mutual respect and a spirit of friendly collaboration. Which is why I was really looking forward to attending the World Final in my home country and meeting people from all over the world who love golf. With its strong commitment to equality in education, EAGLES FOR EDUCATION helps ensure that the weakest are not forgotten – the children. Helping them in every sense has always been something that meant a great deal to both me and my late wife Vivienne.”

Results.

As with the approximately 800 qualifying tournaments around the world, the World Final also featured three individual categories: Men 1 (up to HCP 12), Men 2 (HCP 13–28), and Women (HCP up to 28), each playing three rounds (Stableford, net). In addition, a national team ranking is created based on the combined net individual scores. In National Team Catergory, the team from Mexico prevailed with 298 net points, ahead of the teams from India (290) and China (289). In theWomen’s category, the title went to Singapore: Mei Zhen Wang (107) won ahead of Xiao Wang (CHN, 107) and Montserrat Bayardo (MEX, 101). In Men’s Category 1, India’s Vignesh Rangarao won with 104 net points, ahead of Yu Hsiang Chang (104) and Lei Pin Huang (101, both TPE). In Men’s Category 2, Veaceslav Secrieru (MOL, 107) took the win. Second place went to Kevin Huo (NZL, 106), and third place to Jose Abimael Hernández (MEX, 106).

See here for the full results: 
Leaderboard

The BMW Golfsport Engagement.

For almost four decades, BMW has played a leading role as a reliable partner of global golf – both at the amateur and professional levels. As title partner of prestigious golf events, BMW is active on four continents. Since 1989, the premium automobile manufacturer has hosted the iconic BMW International Open (DP World Tour) in its hometown of Munich, Germany. The BMW PGA Championship in London, UK – the flagship event of the DP World Tour – has, with BMW’s support since 2005, developed into a “Festival of Golf” and a highlight of the British sporting calendar. With the BMW Australian PGA Championship, held in Brisbane, Australia, the company supports another prestigious tournament, which is rich in tradition. In the USA, BMW has been the title partner of the BMW Championship since 2007. First played in 1899 as the Western Open, this tournament is now the penultimate playoff event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs and one of the most competitive golf tournaments worldwide. It has been named PGA TOUR Tournament of the Year six times.

On the world’s most important women’s tour, BMW has hosted the BMW Ladies Championship – the only LPGA Tour event in South Korea – since 2019. BMW has also been organizing the BMW Golf Cup since 1987, the largest international tournament series for amateur players, who can qualify for the international World Final at more than 800 qualifying tournaments worldwide. Since 2006, BMW has also been involved in the Ryder Cup, and most recently, the company has been a Worldwide Partner at the legendary team competition and the world’s most high-profile golf event for the third time.

EAGLES FOR EDUCATION – BMW Group’s social commitment in golf.

The BMW Group makes use of its international BMW title tournaments to fulfill its responsibility as a corporate citizen and to participate in solutions to social challenges. The focus is on the education and empowerment of children and young people. The BMW Group is convinced that education and equal opportunities for everyone are the key to a self-determined future for young people and an important pillar for the cohesion of our society. Through its EAGLES FOR EDUCATION initiative, the BMW Group actively supports this cause at numerous BMW title tournaments. True to its mission statement “Think globally, act locally”, the BMW Group works with strong local partners and supports their educational efforts with a donation for every eagle played.

At the BMW International Open (Germany), the BMW Group cooperates with the Philipp Lahm Foundation for Sport and Education; at the BMW PGA Championship (UK), the partner is the Golf Foundation. As part of the global amateur tournament series BMW Golf Cup, the BMW Group works with JOBLINGE in Germany and with UNICEF at the World Final. All tournament proceeds from the BMW Championship (USA) benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation.

www.philipp-lahm-stiftung.de
www.golf-foundation.org
www.joblinge.de
www.unicef.com
www.wgaesf.org

* UNICEF does not endorse any company brand, product or service.

Phillip Island. The debut was a success: At the season opener of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) in Phillip Island, Australia, Miguel Oliveira (POR) and Danilo Petrucci (ITA) contested their first race weekend on their BMW M 1000 RRs of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. Both impressed with strong race pace and secured valuable early championship points with solid finishes near the front of the field. After a positive Saturday, they stepped it up further on Sunday when Petrucci and Oliveira concluded the race weekend with sixth and seventh places respectively in the second main race.

Petrucci secured a solid starting position for the races at the iconic Australian circuit by qualifying sixth in Saturday’s Superpole session. He finished tenth in both the first main race and the Superpole Race. In Sunday’s second main race, he advanced to sixth place in wet conditions aboard his #9 BMW M 1000 RR.

Oliveira thrilled the more than 47,000 fans at the track in all three races with fantastic comeback rides with his #88 BMW M 1000 RR. After crashing in Superpole, he had to start from 21st place each time. In the first race, he gained 13 positions to finish eighth. In the short Superpole Race, he fought his way up to an important ninth place before dropping back on the final lap due to problems with the quickshifter. In Sunday’s second race, Oliveira charged forward by 14 positions to finish seventh, directly behind Petrucci.

The WorldSBK now returns to Europe. The second round of the season will take place from 27th to 29th March at Portimão (POR). Prior to that, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team will conduct another test at the same venue.

Reactions after the Phillip Island season opener.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “After the week here in Phillip Island, we are super happy. It was a short and rainy winter, and within this week in Australia we were able to learn an incredible amount. We improved day by day, and both riders pushed each other. We also saw how quickly everything is coming together in terms of team spirit. We are very satisfied. Danilo and Miguel are both very fast riders, but also incredibly great characters who fit perfectly into our team. Something big is really coming together for us right now. A big thank you also goes to everyone back home in Berlin, Munich, and Great Britain who supported us throughout the entire winter. It’s not just the people at the track – it’s a very large team that developed the bikes over the winter. The weekend here was demanding and challenging, with sometimes difficult conditions, but with our top ten results and finishing sixth and seventh in the final race, we can be more than satisfied. Now we’re already looking forward to the first European round at Portimão, a home race for Miguel. We’re on the right track and want to build on what we’ve achieved there.”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Phillip Island is worth the trip every year, with many, many highlights but of course also a few lowlights that ultimately cost us valuable points. The key message we take away is that we improved in every single session, from the start of testing on Monday through to qualifying, which was impressively demonstrated by Danilo’s P6 qualifying lap on the most difficult track for us in the calendar. Miguel’s crash in qualifying deprived him of a better opportunity for strong race results, but across the three races he probably set a new record for the most overtakes in a single race weekend. Both riders delivered outstanding fighting performances here at Phillip Island, both in the dry main race on Saturday and in the rain on Sunday. Sixth place for Danilo and seventh for Miguel in the second main race was a great result for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. We scored more points here at Phillip Island than in the past two years. That provides a very solid foundation for the remainder of the long season. Now we are looking forward to the European circuits, which suit our BMW M 1000 RR even better and therefore offer even greater potential for the riders.”

Miguel Oliveira, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “The weekend was a progression, for sure. It was just a shame that the qualifying dictated most of the outcome of the weekend. We made three really good comebacks, especially this morning in the Superpole Race with getting into P9 but then a small problem in the quick shifter prevented a better starting position for me for race two. But this afternoon we got another chance to go for points and I did that. Making the comeback from last in these fully wet conditions was probably the hardest thing I had to do because the visibility was so poor and the conditions were tricky. But we managed to to stay on the bike which was already an accomplishment in itself due to the conditions and then finishing in P7, really close to Danilo, we have to be to be happy about it. At least we scored some points in both races. It‘s for sure not the place that we want to be but given the circumstances we took the most out of it. We definitely go to Portimao with our heads held up high because we did a good job getting better with the bike and we still have two extra days there before the race. I‘m sure we‘ll show much more competitiveness there.”

Danilo Petrucci, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “Finally, we had our first race weekend. We knew it would be tough because of not much testing this winter, so we mainly started to work on the bike last Monday during the test here. I set my target to be into the top ten and we always achieved that. We are aiming for more but I can be happy. Especially because race two today was really difficult in regards of visibility and the lack of grip but we managed to stay up to finish in sixth place to score a bit of points. I must say that I feel really confident about the future because I‘m working really well with my team and my crew, so this makes me happy. I can‘t wait to ride the bike again at Portimao.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 21°, track temperature: 42°, humidity: 66%, conditions: dry.

Race 1.

Air temperature: 21°, track temperature: 42°, humidity: 70%, conditions: dry, laps: 22.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 2, 1:29.168

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 26°, track temperature: 27°, humidity: 48%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 7, 1:28.688

Race 2.

Air temperature: 21°, track temperature: 21°, humidity: 82%, conditions: wet, laps: 22.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 6, 1:40.406

Current riders’ classification (R01/12, after 3 of 36 races).

Current manufacturers’ classification (R01/12, after 3 of 36 races).

Munich. Next weekend (20th to 22nd February), BMW Motorrad Motorsport will kick off an exciting 2026 season with the opening races of the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK). With its factory programmes in WorldSBK and the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC), as well as a strong customer racing programme, BMW Motorrad Motorsport is once again active around the globe this year. In this BMW Motorrad Motorsport Guide, we introduce you to the wider BMW Motorrad Motorsport family. Learn more about our factory and customer racing commitments, as well as the technical details of the BMW M 1000 RR.

In WorldSBK, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team will compete with a strong new rider duo: Danilo Petrucci (ITA) and Miguel Oliveira (POR). The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team is targeting the title in the FIM EWC. The three regular riders this season are Markus Reiterberger (GER), Steven Odendaal (RSA), and Michael van der Mark (NED), who moves from WorldSBK to the FIM EWC as a BMW works rider. Hannes Soomer (EST) will once again serve as the fourth rider. This year, we are further strengthening our globally successful BMW racing family in customer competition with BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Teams in the USA, Great Britain, and Japan.

With this BMW Motorrad Motorsport Guide, we aim to get you in the mood for the new season. The PDF includes information on teams and riders from factory and customer racing, details on the various racing versions of the BMW M 1000 RR, as well as statements ahead of the season start.

Studio photos of our two factory teams from WorldSBK and FIM EWC, our BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Teams, and our key personnel can be found in the “Photos” section here in the BMW Group PressClub.

Munich. A large global racing family is ready for the 2026 season:  BMW Motorrad Motorsport enters the new year with a comprehensive programme, strong teams, and top riders. The factory teams are the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) and the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team in the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC). In customer racing, numerous teams will again compete worldwide in various championships in 2026, including three BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Teams: OrangeCat Racing from the USA, 8TEN Racing from the UK, and AutoRace Ube Racing from Japan.

Factory Racing: WorldSBK and FIM EWC.

After winning two world championship titles, BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, led by Team Principal Shaun Muir, are opening a new chapter in 2026. Two experienced and successful riders form the new lineup. Danilo Petrucci (ITA), 35, has proved in recent years that he is among the top competitors in the WorldSBK paddock. As a rider for a private team, he has secured victories and podiums, holding third in the standings before missing races due to injury in the final stages. Petrucci will race the #9 BMW M 1000 RR. Miguel Oliveira (POR), 31, competed in MotoGP from 2019, achieving multiple Grand Prix wins and podiums. Oliveira will make his WorldSBK debut on the BMW M 1000 RR with bike number 88. The WorldSBK season begins on 21st/22nd February at Phillip Island (AUS).

In the FIM EWC, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, led by Team Manager Werner Daemen, came very close to the world championship last season. Less than 30 minutes separated the team from the title at the season finale, the Bol d’Or in France. A technical failure ultimately pushed them back to third place in the championship, earning them the title of “World Champions of Hearts.” The lineup of the #37 BMW M 1000 RR changes only in one spot for 2026: Michael van der Mark (NED) joins the team. He was a BMW Motorrad factory rider in WorldSBK from 2021 and now moves to the FIM EWC. Van der Mark already raced with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team at Suzuka (JPN) in 2025. Also continuing are BMW veteran Markus Reiterberger (GER), part of the project since its 2019/20 debut, Steven Odendaal (RSA), and Hannes Soomer (EST) as the fourth rider. The riders’ programmes also include additional activities: Van der Mark is a test rider for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team, Reiterberger and Soomer will compete in the new EuroMoto (formerly IDM Superbike), and Odendaal will defend his title in the Spanish Superbike Championship.

Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) will also continue to compete on a BMW M 1000 RR in the FIM EWC; together with Soomer and Naomichi Uramoto (JPN) he forms a strong trio for the AutoRace Ube Racing Team. The FIM EWC season begins with the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) on 18th/19th April.

Customer racing: Official Teams in focus markets.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport is also successful worldwide in customer racing. Numerous private teams have been winning races and championships around the globe for years. In focus markets, customer teams compete as BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Teams, working closely with BMW Motorrad Motorsport in communication, marketing, and events.

Japan: AutoRace Ube Racing Team.
In Japan, this is the AutoRace Ube Racing Team, which has already made a mark in the Japanese Superbike Championship and FIM EWC. The team’s regular rider is Naomichi Uramoto (JPN). For FIM EWC events in 2026, AutoRace Ube Racing will receive prominent reinforcement. Guintoli, Superbike and Endurance World Champion as well as BMW Motorrad factory rider in FIM EWC and the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team, brings a wealth of skill and experience. Soomer also contributes his talent and experience on the #76 BMW M 1000 RR.

USA: OrangeCat Racing.
In North America’s MotoAmerica, OrangeCat Racing won the Superstock title last season. Now, the US team, as BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Team in the focus market USA, moves up to the MotoAmerica Superbike class. The team’s two BMW M 1000 RRs will be ridden by Jayson Uribe and Sean Dylan Kelly (both USA).

UK: 8TEN Racing.
In international Road Racing, the 8TEN Racing Team from the UK focus market is the team to beat. The two riders are also the team owners and the top favorites at major events: Davey Todd and Peter Hickman (both GBR), both of whom have already achieved numerous victories, including at the Isle of Man TT and the Macau Grand Prix. As per last year, Todd and Hickman will compete not only in Road Racing but also in the British Superbike Championship (BSB).

Quotes.

Sven Blusch (Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport): “After the two world championship titles in 2024 and 2025, our full focus is now on continuing this momentum. On the WorldSBK side, we are perfectly positioned. With Danilo Petrucci and Miguel Oliveira, we have brought on board two experienced top riders, whom we’ve already had the chance to get to know a little over the winter. We head to Australia with a very good feeling. Although we had a lot of rain during testing and would have liked a few more laps, we are already looking forward to Phillip Island. In the FIM EWC, after last year’s dramatic season finale, we are even more determined to win the title. With the addition of Michael van der Mark to the team, alongside Steven Odendaal and Markus Reiterberger on bike #37, we are very well positioned for the mission of winning the championship. Over the winter, we prepared intensively, both operationally and technically. In customer racing, our goal for 2026 is to further internationalise. Among the further BMW supported teams in the FIM EWC is also the AutoRace Ube Racing Team, our Official Team from Japan, which has very strong riders in Sylvain Guintoli, Hannes Soomer, and Naomichi Uramoto. With the OrangeCat Racing Team, we have a new Official Team for the USA, which will field two bikes in the MotoAmerica Superbike class, featuring two young, talented riders: Sean Dylan Kelly and Jayson Uribe. Here, our goal as BMW is to defend the title. In the BSB and Road Racing, our Official Team from the UK, 8TEN Racing with Peter Hickman and Davey Todd, will compete. This is also an incredibly strong rider combination. We hope for good results in the BSB and keep our fingers crossed for the Isle of Man TT and other road races, where the two are among the absolute favorites. Overall, it is important for us to strengthen international motorsport in customer racing. With this lineup, we are heading into the 2026 season highly motivated – it embodies our ambition, our drive, and our determination to go full throttle from the very first race.”

Christian Gonschor (Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport): “2026 will be an exciting year of motorsport for BMW Motorrad Motorsport, with clear goals and focus. The mix of new riders and technicians, along with our already strong race teams, partners, and sponsors, makes us eager for more. Everyone is looking forward to the season opener in all relevant classes. The limited dry-weather testing opportunities for our Superbike World Championship team only fuel the ambition of the riders and the team even more. When time is limited, passion and self-confidence help. Danilo and Miguel feel the unwavering commitment of everyone in the team and inspire with their determination, great personalities, and incredible experience. Representing BMW Motorrad Motorsport on the podium regularly with both riders is the clear goal for 2026. Standing still is falling behind, so the wheel will keep turning in both the test team and our Munich headquarters. The riders can look forward to continuous development. In the Endurance World Championship, the benchmark is clear: to finally bring the 2025 world title, narrowly missed at the end, back to Munich. A bike further optimised for the championship and tyres, together with the strengthened rider lineup including Michael van der Mark, offers outstanding opportunities for successful 24-hour races and excellent results in the eight-hour races at Spa and Suzuka. The desire to make history as the first European manufacturer in the EWC 2026 is the ultimate motivation for everyone in the team. We’re ready to go.”

Uwe Geyer (Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport Customer Racing): “In customer racing, we are well-positioned this year, both for the Superbike class and for the Superstock programme worldwide. We have successfully adopted developments from WorldSBK, such as a new swingarm and improvements in electronics. Our Superstock package is up-to-date and competitive. The first teams are already receiving their new motorcycles. In addition, we have introduced Official Teams with whom we maintain closer collaboration in order to further drive internationalisation. These include, for example, the BSB, Japan, and MotoAmerica. The number of our top teams, for example in France, Spain, and Germany in the EuroMoto, has remained the same. Therefore, my personal goal is to further increase the number of overall wins through cooperation with our partner teams. That is the target for this year.”

Shaun Muir (Team Principal ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “We are really looking forward to the 2026 season. We have a new set of goals, a new set of targets with our two new riders Danilo and Miguel. It's really exciting to start the new chapter of the World Superbike programme with BMW Motorrad and our sponsors. I think the expectation is really high also, finishing as World Champions for the last two years, and we’re really determined to give the riders the best tools we possibly can to reach the podium as soon as possible. I think that when we get into Europe from round two, three onwards, we’ll really start to see the true potential of the rider/bike combinations so we’re looking forward to that. Most important is that we give Danilo and Miguel the full support and show how determined we are to continue the good work that we’ve done in the past. We believe that the BMW M 1000 RR is going to grow as a package in the coming months and the proof of that will be the performances that both the riders give us on track. So I’m looking forward to the season - we can take the fight to the competition.”

Werner Daemen (Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team): “We expect that we go in the same way that we ended 2025 – except of course the last 25 minutes, because the rest of 2025 was really good. I think we have a very good bike and very strong riders with Markus, Steven, now Michael van der Mark and Hannes as fourth rider. I think we have one goal which is for going for the championship. At the moment, all suits well. We are well prepared from the technical side and testing starts from February on. I expect that we’re running in front and, okay, you need some luck. I also think when we have the luck on our side, we can go again for the world title. This year, we also do the EuroMoto, the new IDM class, where Markus and Hannes can prepare themselves for the World Championship. Steven Odendaal will do the ESBK on the stock BMW – so I think we will be very well prepared for the season.”

Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “I’m excited for sure. I don’t know really what to expect. I know it‘s going to be a difficult, competitive environment through the whole grid. So my goal is to be up to that challenge and be as ready as I can to fight for top positions and make my adaptation as fast as possible, especially to have fun and to make the team enjoy the races.”

Danilo Petrucci (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “I’m so happy and proud to join the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. It’s the team that has won the last championships and I’m so proud to be part of it. I can’t wait to race with this bike. We did a few tests, and in rainy conditions the situation is really good. We need to spend some time more in the dry because we didn’t have so much time in such conditions yet. For sure there is a lot of expectation but mainly I want to enjoy. I don’t have any particular result in mind. I just want to be as fast as I can and improve the results of my previous season.”

Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team): “I am honestly looking forward to it. I had a nice experience with them last year at Suzuka and I really enjoyed working with Steven and Markus and we’re a nice team. It’s great to know the team already and I think it’s pretty clear that we have one goal and that’s to win the Endurance World Championship. They were so close last year but unfortunately it’s part of endurance racing. I’m looking forward to trying and helping them to get a world title. I will also be in the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team. We’re doing a lot of testing work before getting the parts over to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and also to the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. It’s a different kind of job, but also really enjoyable. Sometimes it’s a lot of work, and I am really enjoying it as well. It’s great to stay with the BMW Motorsport family and I might be busy during the year.”

Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team): “I’m really looking forward to the season with BMW and the familiar, well-known environment from the past years. Our goal is clear: we want to win the world championship. Last year we were very, very close. We were missing 25 minutes to the title. Unfortunately, we didn’t quite make it in the end, but that automatically makes it our task to go and get it now and I believe the chances are good. We’ve improved a little more in many areas. I think it’s realistic that we can achieve it, but we all have to give our best, work well and stay focused, and of course also have the necessary luck – or simply avoid bad luck. Because endurance racing is always a combination of everything. So the goals are clearly defined. In EuroMoto, we also want to bring the championship title back to BMW. I’ve already managed that four times, and I’m happy that I can go after it once again. Here, I first have to readjust a bit, because in recent years I’ve been active as a test rider at BMW mainly on the Superbike. I was familiar with the Stock bike in the past, and now I need to dial myself back in a little. However, we still have several tests coming up in preparation. The competition in EuroMoto is very strong, which makes me happy, because that’s exactly what German motorsport needs: strong riders, teams, and motorcycles. We’re well set up, and I’m hoping for a great season.”

Steven Odendaal (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team): “I’m really excited for this 2026 season. I think from last year we can extract a lot of information about how to improve, not just on the bike but also myself personally. And I think that this year we can really bring it together for a strong and consistent performance to bring us the title at the end of the year. That’s the main objective and obviously also I would like to defend my Spanish Superbike title this year. I am looking forward to keeping my eye in with that and enjoying racing again.”

Tsune Igami (Team Manager AutoRace Ube Racing Team): “We are very happy to be the BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Team in Japan. It is great that we are part of the BMW family, and we can’t wait to start the season.”

Sylvain Guintoli (AutoRace Ube Racing Team): “This is another super motivating challenge for me. Last year the performance from the AutoRace Ube team straight away with the BMW was incredible, not only in the All Japan Championship, where Naomichi managed to win two races, but also to be ultra-competitive in the Suzuka 8 Hours as well as at the Bol d’Or for their first 24 -hour race at very short notice. They did an amazing job last year, so for me to step in now feels like it makes a lot of sense and like extra motivation to try and bring some experience into the team, to try to make it sort of successful straight away and help with the adaptation. I’m mega excited.”

Naomichi Uramoto (AutoRace Ube Racing Team): “I’m very excited to race the full season of FIM EWC with a great team and great teammates as a part of the big BMW family. I’m really motivated for the season.”

Hannes Soomer (AutoRace Ube Racing Team): “For me it’s the next step in my endurance career to be a full time rider. It’s the first time in my life on a superbike. Like the two guys next to me, I’m also really excited. I rode the bike and joined the team for one test last year before Suzuka. I felt good in the team and on the bike from the first day. I’m really excited to see what we can do. I think we have a really nice set of three riders, everybody is ready to work, everybody is fast and I’m looking forward to Le Mans.”

Jeff Connors (Team Principal OrangeCat Racing): “We’re expecting to, as long as we learn after every single event, get better after every single event, and by the end of the season, being able to compete for podiums. I think that’s possible with BMW’s support to accelerate our learning curve with the superbike. We’re new to this, we know that, and it’s going to take us some time to get up there and compete for wins, but really preparing ourselves for 2027.”

Sean Dylan Kelly (OrangeCat Racing): “First of all, I’m extremely excited to be back on the BMW. It’s a bike that I already won a race on, in the Moto America Superbike class, and that means it’s quite clear for me that the goal is to win. I’m a professional racer and I work very hard to achieve wins every weekend and I think the championship is the hunt for me. It’s also realistic that it’s a new team stepping up into Superbike, new people, new crew chief, a newer, more developed bike, so there’s a lot of things to learn but I think the package is there to be competitive and that’s all I’m focused on so I’m really excited to get started. I want to say thank you to the OrangeCat Racing team and also to BMW for making this happen.”

Jayson Uribe (OrangeCat Racing): “For me, this upcoming year on the BMW M 1000 RR is to win the championship. Whether that’s with myself or with Sean, our goal is to make sure that OrangeCat Racing and BMW come together with the win. I would like to continue to progress and learn as a rider. I think jumping on the superbike is a big step and I’m excited to continue to get better and better with every lap. I have big expectations. I want to win races, but I also want to make sure I provide the best results for the team. I understand that sometimes that means seeing the bigger picture, and that’s what we're here to do.”

Darren Jones (Team Manager 8TEN Racing): “With the winter behind us and more support from BMW Motorrad Motorsport themselves I’m looking forward to the season. Especially after last year with everything being put together so late. It was always going to be a struggle and we were always on the back foot, but now I think with the support we’ve got and the sponsors that are helping us out even more than before, I’m pretty confident we can put on a good show for everyone.”

Davey Todd (8TEN Racing): “I’m really looking forward to 2026. It’s going to be another fun year with our 8TEN Racing team. We’ve been working on everything and had a little bit more time this year to prepare, which is what we’re doing right now. Spending some time preparing is exactly what we didn’t have at the beginning of 2025 and we still finished with some very good results at the end of the year. So we know we can come into 2026 and improve in all areas, particularly on circuits, particularly at BSB. We think we can make some steps there and then go into the roads, the North West, the TT, the Southern 100 for myself and the Macau Grand Prix. I’m really looking forward to all the road races as always. I want to win more races like we did last year. Becoming king of the roads again for the third time for me in 2025: I want to keep that going. Most importantly, taking TT wins, which I know for sure my teammate’s going to be amongst the toughest competition there. We’re really looking forward to it. Like we did at Macau last year, we’re hoping for a lot of one-twos this season.”

Peter Hickman (8TEN Racing): “We’re actually really looking forward to the 2026 season. Obviously last year was almost a rushed year for us one way or another and of course I had a big injury as well. So for 2026 we are much, much more prepared as a team. Both me and Davey as well have got much more of a handle on what‘s actually going on and the team’s working really, really well. We’re happy with the bikes, we’re happy with everything for the season. We have a full British Superbike season to look forward to, as well as the North West 200, the Isle of Man TT, and maybe even one or two other races as well. Obviously we did Macau in the last year where we finished one and two. Overall, last year was more of a building year, as it ended up having to be, and then this year we can really kind of hit the ground running, much, much more prepared and really looking forward to it.”

Jerez de la Frontera. The new chapter of BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) is gaining momentum: this week, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team completed its first laps of the year with its two new riders, Miguel Oliveira (POR) and Danilo Petrucci (ITA). Two test days were scheduled as part of the 2026 season preparations at the Andalusian circuit in Jerez de la Frontera (ESP). However, adverse weather conditions led to delays and reduced track time. The season preparations will continue next week in Portimão (POR).

Petrucci will compete in the 2026 WorldSBK season aboard the #9 BMW M 1000 RR, while Oliveira’s BMW Superbike will carry the number 88. Both riders had their first opportunity to get to know the team and the bikes in Jerez de la Frontera last November. Now, at the same venue, the intensive work began to prepare as thoroughly as possible for the season opener at Phillip Island in Australia (20th to 22nd February).

Reactions after the test in Jerez de la Frontera.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “2026 officially kicked off in Jerez under challenging weather conditions. After defending the title last year, the clock has now been reset to zero and the full focus is on the start of the season. The onboarding of Miguel and Danilo is in full swing, and we are doing our best to prepare optimally during the two pre-season tests. Phillip Island is already just one month away, and we will give everything to deliver a strong start to the season there.”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “The test in Jerez de la Frontera was somewhat different from what we had planned due to the rainy conditions, but it was very productive as a result. Both Miguel and Danilo adapted to the bike very quickly and showed excellent performance on the BMW M 1000 RR in wet conditions. They felt comfortable – that was the most important thing. Both within the team and on the bike. They had confidence in the motorcycle, including the electronics. This allowed us to improve step by step over the course of the first day to move both riders up to the top positions in the timesheets. Due to the rapidly improving conditions, we were able to add three productive dry hours today after a successful wet session yesterday. This puts us in an optimal position for the upcoming Portimão test. Different tyres were used across the field, which somewhat distorted the results. Our riders are gradually building more confidence and understanding of their machinery on race tyres, the new components are working flawlessly, and the new team members have already become an integral part of our racing family. We are all eagerly looking forward to the start of the season together and thank the test team and Mickey for their great work.”

Danilo Petrucci, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It was two long days even if we did not have the chance to ride a lot. I really enjoyed to be on the bike, especially in wet conditions. It’s really one of the best bikes I’ve ever ridden in the rain. For sure, it’s a long process because this bike is really different from what I was used. But the potential is really, really high. But you have to know the bike. On day one, I was really happy, on the second day the track was not in perfect conditions. We saw many crashes from the wet patches. But is was still useful because the conditions were very different compared to the November test so we understood that me and the bike need something different. Hopefully next week in Portimão we will have better conditions and we will gather some more experience.”

Miguel Oliveira, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It has been the first test of the year after the winter break and there have been much expectations for these two days obviously, getting to know the bike and the team better. I think we achieved that, we ticked another box which was to solve some issues and as well to get to know each other better and that’s the way to go. We need more time, we know that, but at the same time, there is a lot of expectation. But right now we just need to be patient and achieve the best outcome possible for myself in that short period of time.”

Munich. BMW Motorrad Motorsport continued its success story in both factory and customer racing in 2025, collecting titles, wins and podium finishes around the globe. In the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), factory rider Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) impressively defended his riders’ title and once again was crowned World Champion aboard the BMW M 1000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. In addition, private teams and riders secured no fewer than 12 further titles in the most important international and national championships worldwide. The BMW M 1000 RR also proved to be a class of its own once again in international road racing this year.

A look at WorldSBK, the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) and numerous other championships across Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia shows that BMW racers were even more successful in 2025 than in the previous year. Overall, they stood on the podium 411 times, achieving 169 wins and 242 additional podium finishes. This means that the factory riders and BMW customer racers once again surpassed the already outstanding figures from the previous year (371 / 142 / 229).

“Behind us lies a season that surpassed our successes from 2024 once again – in factory racing as well as in customer racing,” says Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport. “Toprak’s successful title defense in WorldSBK will remain unforgettable, with no fewer than 21 wins in 36 races. In the FIM Endurance World Championship, we were also on course for the title in a dramatic finale until just minutes before the finish, before a technical issue prevented this potentially historic success for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. But next year we will have another chance to become world champions in endurance racing as well. In customer racing, private riders and teams in a wide range of series around the world consistently achieved top results and numerous titles. BMW riders also celebrated further sensational victories in road racing. All these successes fill us with great pride – they prove that the BMW M 1000 RR is a true winning motorcycle and that our global BMW Motorrad Motorsport family is stronger than ever.”

“The BMW M 1000 RR is one of the best bikes in international racing – and this season once again showed that our customers can rely on it in championships around the globe,” says Uwe Geyer, Head of BMW Motorrad Customer Racing. “We are proud to be able to provide private teams and riders with such a strong package. The race version of the BMW M 1000 RR forms an excellent foundation, and with our global support network we help our customers convert this potential into titles and victories in their championships. Our racing components originate from our factory racing efforts, and all our customers worldwide benefit from the close cooperation between our factory teams, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team and our development department.”

The 2025 BMW Champions at a glance.

• FIM Superbike World Championship – Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR / ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
• MotoAmerica Superbike – Cameron Beaubier (USA/ Tytlers Cycle Racing)
• MotoAmerica Superstock – Andrew Lee (USA/ Orange Cat Racing)
• BSB National Superstock 1000 – Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR / ROKiT BMW Motorrad)
• French Superbike Championship – Kenny Foray (FRA / Tecmas Racing Team)
• Spanish Superbike Championship – Steven Odendaal (RSA / New2 Project)
• IDM Pro Superstock Cup – Ricardo Brink (NED / Masteroil-Alpha-Van-Zon-BMW)
• French European Bikes Championship – Julien Brun (FRA / La Roche Noir Moto)
• Italian National Trophy 1000 – Francesco Ciacci (ITA / Team Crazy Old Men)
• Alpe Adria Motorcycle Championship Superstock – Mate Szamado (HUN / HRE Team)
• SuperBike Brasil Master – Felipe Comerlatto (BRA / Mormaii Racing)
• SuperBike Brasil Rookie – Cleber Calopsita (BRA / APEX Racing)
• SuperBike Brasil Light – Edu Moura (BRA / JD 43 HPA Racing)

Isle of Man, Macau and more: BMW racers dominate the world’s most important road races.

Once again in the 2025 season, there was no way past the BMW riders in international road racing. The action began with the North West 200, where the BMW M 1000 RR claimed victories in all five races. Davey Todd (GBR) secured three wins, while Michael Dunlop (GBR) won the other two races. In addition, Todd, Peter Hickman and Ian Hutchinson (both GBR) collected further podium finishes. At the legendary Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, Todd and Dunlop achieved a one-two finish in the Superbike TT, and both riders also stepped onto the podium in the two Superstock races. The Senior TT, in which BMW racers were among the main favorites, was cancelled due to weather conditions. The motorsport world then turns its attention every November to the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix to close out the season. Here, the BMW road racers delivered an outstanding one-two-three result, with Todd taking victory ahead of Hickman and Erno Kostamo (FIN).

Munich. In its maiden season in 2025, the BMW M4 GT3 EVO enjoyed success on racetracks around the world – and now it is conquering two of the world’s most popular games. As part of the collaboration between BMW M Motorsport and Epic Games, the GT3 racing car is now available in Fortnite and Rocket League. These multi-player titles are part of the Epic Games ecosystem.

The virtual BMW M4 GT3 EVO will also be making a splash with a special design in the style of “BLEACH”, one of the world’s biggest anime series. The design of the car is inspired by the iconic costume of the main character of “BLEACH”, Ichigo Kurosaki. BMW Welt visitors can get up close and personal with a real-world BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the style of the virtual racing car in Munich (GER) until 11^th January 2026.

The collaboration with PUMA is another link between the virtual and real world. The BMW M Motorsport Hypnotic LS Sneakers from the BMW M Motorsport collection will also be available in the Fortnite Shop.

“By integrating the BMW M4 GT3 EVO into Rocket League and Fortnite we are showcasing the fascination of the spearhead of our BMW M Motorsport product line in GT racing to a young audience,” said Timo Brückner, Project Lead BMW M Automotive Gaming. “These games are social and creative meeting points where the young generation comes together. The multifaceted collaboration between BMW M, Epic Games, ‘BLEACH’, and PUMA facilitates uniting motorsport and digital pop culture. The BMW M4 GT3 EVO design is spectacular, and we are confident that every player – as well as fans of the ‘BLEACH’ series and visitors to BMW Welt – will be impressed by this car.”

With the BMW M4 GT3 EVO, BMW and Epic Games are writing the next chapter of their successful collaboration. Previously, the BMW M240i, BMW 1 Series, and the first-generation BMW M3 have been featured in Rocket League. In 2023, BMW introduced the world’s first car creator in Fortnite, BMW introduced the world’s first car creator in Fortnite with the Hypnopolis creative island, where players could design the BMW iX2 according to their individual preferences.

+++ 23-year-old Spaniard triumphs at Royal Queensland Golf Club (Brisbane, AUS) +++ Top-class start to the 2025/26 DP World Tour season +++ Daniel Gale (AUS) wins the new BMW M5 Touring with an ace +++

Munich/Brisbane. 44 years after the unforgettable Seve Ballesteros, a Spaniard has once again won the Joe Kirkwood Cup. At the first tournament of the new season on the DP World Tour, David Puig completed a flawless weekend with victory at the BMW Australian PGA Championship. The 23-year-old carded rounds of 68, 67, 65 and 66 stokes for a with a total score of 266 (-18) at the Royal Queensland Golf Club, the venue for the golf competitions at the 2032 Summer Olympics. Wenyi Ding (CHN, -16) finished in second place.

Puig put in an impressive performance on the way to his first victory on the DP World Tour, recording 13 birdies on his last 40 holes without dropping a single shot. Third place was shared by the winner of the 2017 BMW Championship, Marc Leishman (AUS), and Nick Voke (NZL, both -15). Min Woo Lee (AUS), the 2023 BMW PGA Champion, and Daniel Hillier (NZL, both -14) finished tied for fifth place ahead of major champion and former world number one Adam Scott (AUS, -13).

“It means the world for sure. I was really looking forward to that first professional win on the DP World,” said Puig. "I was pretty close a few times throughout the last couple of years, but I wasn’t able to get it done. My name being with Seve’s name as the only two Spaniards to have won this prestigious event makes it even more special.“

The BMW Australian PGA Championship had already started with a bang. In the first round, Australian Daniel Gale (-12, T8) scored an ace on the 11th hole (par 3), for which he was rewarded with the Hole in One Prize, the all-new BMW M5 Touring. After the round, the 29-year-old said that it was a predicted shot: “I played in the pro-am and I said, ‘this baby's mine’ – and it actually happened so it’s pretty crazy.“

The BMW PGA Australian Championship was the first of three BMW title tournaments on the DP World Tour calendar. It will be followed by the BMW International Open (July 1-5, 2026, Golfclub München Eichenried, GER) and the ‘Festival of Golf’, the BMW PGA Championship (September 15-20, 2026, Wentworth Club, ENG). Tickets for the BMW International Open are available with a Christmas discount of ten percent until December 24, 2025 at:

https://www.bmw-golfsport.com/en/content/tickets.html

+++ German trio Stephan Jäger, Martin Kaymer and Matti Schmid at 37th BMW International Open +++ Only DP World Tour tournament in Germany to take place from 1st to 5th July 2026 at Golfclub München Eichenried +++ Ten percent off general admissions and VIP tickets until 24th December 2025 +++ New after-work ticket available +++

Munich. The triad of world-class golf, sheer driving pleasure, and a dash of Bavarian zest in Germany since 1989 has been named the BMW International Open. The tournament has long been an institution on the DP World Tour; no other event has been collaborating with the same title partner without interruption for as long. The 37th edition of the BMW International Open will take place between 1st and 5th July 2026 (Golfclub München Eichenried). Three of Germany’s top players – Stephan Jäger, Matti Schmid and two-time Major winner Martin Kaymer – have already confirmed their participation, with further national and international stars set to follow. Tickets for what is currently the only German stop on the DP World Tour calendar are available from the official ticket shop, and you can take advantage of a ten percent Christmas discount until 24th December 2025:
https://www.bmw-golfsport.com/en/content/tickets.html

The last time that Stephan Jäger teed off at his home club was in 2021. The 36-year-old has been living in the USA with his family for many years and has made a name for himself on the PGA TOUR. Jäger had intended to return to the place where he grew up and learned to play golf to take part in this year’s BMW International Open. However, a joyous occasion in July 2025 prevented him from returning home as Jäger’s second son entered the world. Now there is nothing stopping him from competing next summer. The winner of the 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open said: “I’m really looking forward to finally playing at Eichenried again and enjoying the BMW International Open. Having a tournament like this in your hometown is a rare and lucky coincidence. I can’t wait to enjoy this week with my family as well as old friends and colleagues in front of a German crowd.”

Two-time Major winner Martin Kaymer is another golfer not wanting to miss out on this experience, and he enjoys a special connection with the BMW International Open. The 40-year-old currently holds two tournament records: he is the only German winner and the youngest champion. Kaymer was 23 years and 177 days old when he won in Munich in 2008, but that is not the only reason that the event is one of his favourite tournaments. He said: “The people that you work alongside make a huge difference. You can tell that everyone at BMW is incredibly passionate about the tournament. Which makes it enjoyable for us as players, and I’m always grateful that we have a fantastic event like this here in Germany. Coming here is a source of great joy.”

It is this joy that Matti Schmid also associates with the BMW International Open. The Bavarian golfer, who predominantly plays on the PGA TOUR in the USA, has the iconic German tournament marked as a highlight on his calendar every year. As a child, the now 28-year-old watched the pros at Golfclub München Eichenried with great enthusiasm, and now the next generation of golfers are looking up to him: Schmid is currently the best-placed German golfer in the world rankings. At the 2025 BMW International Open he was the best home-grown player, finishing in joint seventh, and he cannot wait for the next edition: “The atmosphere was incredible throughout the week. I hope that everyone will be coming back because it’s great when we have a full house here.”

The Christmas promotional discount applies to day tickets and tournament tickets, as well as to Fairway Club tickets – excluding tickets that have already been discounted such as those for young people, students or people with disabilities. The ticket price includes a free shuttle bus service between Ismaning station and the golf club from Thursday to Sunday, and free car parking at the tournament site, subject to availability. There is no general admission fee for the Pro-Am tournament (Wednesday 1st July 2026). Children up to and including 14 years of age also enjoy free entry on all days.

New for the 2026 BMW International Open, an after-work ticket will be available for the Thursday or Friday. It will be valid as of 15:00 and can be purchased for half the cost of a day ticket. For information and prices, see the ticket shop at:
https://www.bmw-golfsport.com/en/content/tickets.html

+++ Ace in the first round: Daniel Gale (AUS) wins Hole-in-One car BMW M5 Touring +++ “This baby’s mine” – Gale predicts dream shot at Royal Queensland Golf Club on Wednesday +++ 2025/26 season of DP World Tour tees off with BMW PGA Australian Championship +++

Brisbane/Munich. The new season of the DP World Tour could not have got off to a more spectacular start. In the first round of the opening tournament, the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club (Brisbane), spectators celebrated two aces. Daniel Gale, who pulled off the dream shot on the 11th hole (Par 3), was especially delighted. This is the hole on which the Hole-in-One prize is awarded: the new BMW M5 Touring, which launched in Australia this year. The BMW M5 Touring combines performance with characteristic design, while the plentiful space means it also impresses with its uncompromising suitability for everyday life. As a performance sports car with more than enough space for golf equipment, the BMW M5 Touring is the perfect hole-in-one car.

Gale, three-time winner of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, aced the hole on the 154-metre 11th an 8 iron. After the round, the 29-year-old said that it was a predicted shot: “I played in the pro-am and I said, ‘this baby's mine’ – and it actually happened so it’s pretty crazy. In the air it was this perfect baby draw, riding the wind, and landed it perfectly and it trickled in at perfect speed as well.”

Meanwhile, Kazuma Kobori sunk the first ace of the new season on the 17th hole. He might not have been rewarded with a hole-in-one car, but the shot helped the New Zealander enter the BMW PGA Australian Championship weekend in the lead. Gale is currently in tied for 18^th place with Major winner and former world number one Adam Scott (AUS), and others.

This is the second edition for which BMW is title partner of the BMW PGA Australian Championship, the newest member of the family of BMW title tournaments on four continents. The other tournaments include the BMW PGA Championship in London (ENG), the BMW International Open in Munich (both on the DP World Tour), the penultimate playoff tournament on the PGA TOUR, the BMW Championship (USA), as well as the BMW Ladies Championship (LPGA Tour) in Korea. Once again a multitude of top players are competing at the BMW Australian PGA Championship in 2025, including BMW Australia’s golf ambassadors Min Woo Lee and Elvis Smylie. They both have brilliant memories of the tournament: Min Woo Lee won it in 2023, Elvis Smylie was victorious last year.

Munich. The BMW M Motorsport family is gaining reinforcement for the 2026 season. Jordan Pepper (RSA) will become a BMW M works driver and will compete in races next year in the BMW M4 GT3 EVO. The 29-year-old is the third South African driver in the line-up, following Sheldon and Kelvin van der Linde. Details about his racing programme will be announced at a later date .

Pepper boasts numerous successes in GT racing. In 2025, he triumphed at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) and fought for the DTM title until the final race in his first full season. In the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, he finished second in the drivers’ standings, just behind the Team WRT duo of Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts (BEL). He achieved the same result in the Endurance Cup in 2024. Further big successes to date include winning the GTD-PRO class at the IMSA finale Petit Le Mans in 2024, victory at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2020, and becoming the GT World Challenge America champion in 2021. In 2014, he won the overall title in the Volkswagen Scirocco R Cup Germany.

Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “In the coming season, we will once again undertake a very extensive racing programme with our BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Our goal is always to compete at the highest level in the best GT racing series in the world and fight for victories and titles. To achieve this, we need a driver line-up that is both large and of the highest quality. Jordan Pepper fits our requirements perfectly. Over the years, he has established himself as one of the top GT3 drivers. His performances, especially in the past two seasons, have been impressive. I am very pleased to welcome him to the BMW M Motorsport family and look forward to many shared successes in the future.”

Jordan Pepper: “It’s very exciting to begin a new chapter of my career with BMW M Motorsport. In South Africa, BMW is a very prestigious brand that I grew up with and always admired. My path into professional racing in Europe, however, took me through other manufacturers. Now I have the opportunity to drive for BMW M Motorsport, and I’m extremely excited about it. Over the years, I’ve seen how strong they are as competitors, and now I’m looking forward to driving the BMW M4 GT3 EVO for the first time. I know that adapting to a new car is always a challenge, and I’ll need to get used to the car over the winter but I generally like this type of car, as I’ve spent much of my career in similar cars. I can’t wait to work with all the great drivers at BMW M Motorsport – including, of course, Sheldon and Kelvin van der Linde. We’ve known each other since we were kids and are good friends. We’ve always dreamed of winning races together. Now we’re with the same manufacturer, and hopefully, we’ll get the chance to make that dream come true someday.”

Macau. The BMW road racers once again proved unbeatable on the spectacular Guia Circuit in Macau. At the 57th edition of the legendary Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, they secured a 1-2-3 finish, resulting in an all-BMW podium. The dominant rider of the race weekend was Davey Todd (GBR) on the #8 BMW M 1000 RR of Zeeco BMW Motorrad; after topping both practice and qualifying, the Briton rode to victory through the narrow urban canyons. His teammate Peter Hickman (GBR) and Erno Kostamo (FIN / Racing for Inclusion by RVS) completed the BMW success by finishing second and third.

It was the second time Todd lifted the coveted Macau winner’s trophy. He also stood on the top step of the podium last year. However, that time the actual race could not be held due to rain, and the trophies were awarded to the three fastest riders in qualifying: BMW racers Todd, Kostamo, and Hickman. This year, the weather again caused delays in the motorcycle schedule and qualifying had to be moved from Friday to Saturday, but the 12-lap race started as planned. Todd dominated from pole position and crossed the finish line with a ten-second lead.

Hickman, who has already won the Macau Grand Prix four times with BMW, made a strong comeback from injury by taking second place. Kostamo, the 2022 winner and last year’s runner-up, was also among the favourites. Starting from second on the grid, he held the position in the opening laps, but a small mistake allowed Hickman to pass. In the end, Kostamo secured an unchallenged third place.

A total of six BMW M 1000 RR machines finished within the top ten. Italian Macau newcomer Maurizio Bottalico (Croweperformance / Bottalico) also drew attention by finishing sixth in his debut on the Guia Circuit. Davo Johnson (AUS / Racing for Inclusion by RVS) came home seventh, and Phillip Crowe (GBR / Croweperformance / Bottalico) finished in tenth place.

Reactions after the Macau Grand Prix.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “Congratulations to Davey Todd, Peter Hickman, Erno Kostamo and everyone involved on this outstanding end to the season. It has not been an easy year for the 8Ten Racing team – in particular Peter’s severe injury presented the team with major challenges. All the more impressive, then, to see Davey’s and Peter’s squad competing under the Zeeco BMW Motorrad banner, as well as Erno with Racing for Inclusion by RVS, standing together on the podium here in Macau. We are incredibly proud of the riders and teams, wish them a well-deserved celebration in Macau, and look forward to a shared 2026 season. The many top-10 finishes by the BMW riders in Macau underline the exceptional performance of our M 1000 RR, which once again demonstrated its strengths on the demanding Guia Circuit.”

Davey Todd, Zeeco BMW Motorrad: “I was joking with Pete saying that I now have one and a half Macau wins. It’s awesome to do that and to prove everybody wrong after saying that last year’s win wasn’t a proper one. I had a point to prove coming here tis year. I was really excited, we had a great pace, the whole Zeeco BMW Motorrad team has done an amazing job. I’ve been feeling awesome on the BWM M 1000 RR all week. I am just a little bit disappointed about one thing. I thought that the pace was quite slow in the race, I didn’t push too hard when I had a gap, and then I found out that we did 23s, and I am sure that a new lap record with 22s would have been possible so I’m looking forward to being back here next year to see what else we can do. There are so many sponsors and partners who have helped us to even get out here to Macau. We really appreciate all of them and want to say thank you.”

Peter Hickman, Zeeco BMW Motorrad: “It has been a pretty good race. I am very content that I showed that I still have the pace. I was only a couple of tenths off Davey. I am sure he had more in the bag still but to be able to be close in the position I am in at the moment personally makes me really, really happy. It was great to show that I have the pace, I just need to work on myself now over winter to get ready for the 2026 season. A massive thank you to Zeeco BMW Motorrad, all the boys and girls and everyone that helped us and made sure that we got here. It has been absolutely fantastic. A 1-2 for our team – it couldn’t get better!”

Erno Kostamo, Racing for Inclusion by RVS: “I was struggling in Free Practice and had many problems with the bike but then in qualifying all went well. In the race I was a little bit nervous. I was pushing hard behind Peter and Davey. This year’s Macau Grand Prix was not so easy for me but I am happy.”

Facts and figures.

Qualifying.

Air temperature: 23°, humidity: 80%, conditions: dry.

Race.

Air temperature: 23°, humidity: 82%, conditions: dry, laps: 12.

Fastest race lap: Davey Todd, lap 7, 2:23.702

+++ Automotive technologies from the BMW Group powering the hunt for Olympic hundredths on the ice track +++ Development of individualised spike shoes for bobsleigh and skeleton athletes reaches the next level +++ Data-based optimisation of material and racing line in luge for the new Olympic track in Cortina (ITA) +++ Images and video material available on the joint technology projects +++

Munich. At the Olympic Winter Games 2022, Team Germany celebrated twelve gold, ten silver, and five bronze medals. The German Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton Federation (BSD) contributed the majority of them - nine golds, six silvers, and one bronze in Beijing (CHN). It was an outstanding team result that the national bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge squads are eager to repeat when the next Olympic Winter Games take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy (6–22 February 2026). Achieving that requires hard work in every area and a constant pursuit of optimisation. To this end, the BSD continues to rely on its technology partnership with the BMW Group, established in 2010.

Drawing on BMW’s expertise, technological capabilities, and innovative strength from automotive engineering and motorsport, two projects have been advanced for the 2026 Olympics - both designed to deliver those decisive fractions of a second in the ice track: the BMW Data Coach in luge and customised spike plates for bobsleigh and skeleton shoes.

Individual spike shoes for greater push-off performance.

It’s no secret that start times in bobsleigh and skeleton are crucial, as they determine the speed athletes carry into the run - there’s no “gas pedal” after that. To translate their athletic power into acceleration on ice, athletes depend on the right footwear. The force is transmitted solely through spike plates on the forefoot, with more than 250 small, sharp spikes per shoe gripping the ice and converting energy into motion. Any improvement to these plates directly enhances performance in the track.

Surprisingly, standard shoes are typically used in bobsleigh and skeleton - without considering athletes’ individual preferences or anatomical differences. The BMW Group identified optimisation potential and, together with the BSD, began developing custom spike-plate prototypes ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics for skeleton athletes. These plates can be mounted onto any preferred track-and-field shoe using existing spike threads for secure fastening.

Manufactured at the BMW Group Additive Manufacturing Campus in Munich, the spike plates are produced using 3D printing - a process BMW has been employing since 1991 across the entire vehicle lifecycle, from concept to production and spare parts. This highly efficient process uses a specialised design software that allows fast, automated, and athlete-specific generation of 3D-print data. Parameters such as geometry, stiffness, and spike shape are customised and adapted to each athlete’s shoe using 3D scans. This algorithmic design process offers enormous time savings and maximum flexibility as plates can be printed, tested, and re-optimised in rapid cycles.

The 3D-printed spike plates made their World Cup debut last season, with teams such as Adam Ammour’s using them extensively. However, development continued - athlete feedback and summer gait analysis data revealed that some athletes performed better with softer soles and plates. As a result, a second development track was launched, strongly supported by Felix Straub, brakeman for Francesco Friedrich’s team. In this version, the plates are milled from nylon, fitted with steel spikes, and then glued and riveted to the shoe.

A key material challenge is ensuring the steel spikes withstand extreme loads without wearing or breaking. BMW specialists in materials and process engineering developed a solution: the spikes are plasma-nitrided - a hardening process in which nitrogen is ionized in a vacuum at high temperature and diffuses into the steel, improving surface hardness. BMW uses this technique for crankshafts in BMW Motorrad engines and in motorsport applications.

Now, all athletes on the German bobsleigh and skeleton teams can choose between both systems, test them extensively before the Olympics, and select their preferred option. After four years of development, the result is a range of individualised options for every athlete, foot type, shoe model, running style, and push-off position - replacing the one-size-fits-all solution.

Data-driven optimisation of material and racing line.

In luge, the interplay between athlete and sled involves many interdependent factors — optimising as many as possible for the best run time is the key challenge. The BMW Data Coach delivers a major advantage by enabling data-based analysis and optimisation of these factors. The ideal interaction varies between athletes and tracks, much like individualised car setups in motorsport. For the 2026 Games, a new ice track has been built in Cortina, with only a limited number of runs available before competition - making data-driven insights even more valuable.

Based on measurement and simulation methods, the Data Coach gives lugers new ways to fine-tune their sled setup and identify the ideal racing line. This approach is well-established in vehicle development and motorsport. Since 2016, the BMW Group and BSD have been applying and refining these methods in luge.

Special sensors installed in the sled record extensive dynamic data, allowing each run to be precisely reconstructed using dedicated analysis software. The software was developed by former Junior World Champion luger Dr. Julian von Schleinitz, now Head of Tech Excellence at the BMW Group, who combines his athletic experience with engineering expertise. Over the years, the growing dataset has made the BMW Data Coach increasingly effective in identifying optimal lines and refining sled setups.

Today, the data volume is so large that - combined with computer simulations - it allows predictive testing of new components and configurations virtually, before any physical prototype is built or a new line is tested on track. This significantly increases efficiency and insight within the complex system of sled and athlete.

For the Olympic season, the system - used extensively by 13-time World Champion Felix Loch and six-time World Champion Max Langenhan - has been further enhanced. The sensors now deliver more precise readings on wet ice, and the hardware has been miniaturised to fit into a regulation-compliant racing sled. This marks a major step forward, as the measurements now come from a sled identical to competition equipment.

During the first international training period in Cortina in late October and early November, valuable data were already collected. These will now be analysed in detail to shape the Olympic race strategy. A second test event at the Olympic track in late November will offer another opportunity for refinement - before the athletes battle for gold in February 2026, where every thousandth of a second counts.

Further information, images, and video material:

BMW Group 3D-printed spike plates:

https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

The BMW Data Coach:

https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

+++ Mobility Partner BMW hands over new vehicles for the Olympic season to Germany's top biathletes +++ Athlete presentation and competition start at BMW Welt +++ New BMW iX3 leads the field +++ LOOP ONE Festival in Munich's Olympic Park thrills 50,000 fans +++

Munich. Munich's Olympic Park was the venue last weekend for the premiere of the LOOP ONE Festival, where the biathlon elite kicked off the new season. Before the competitions began on Sunday in the BMW Welt, the German National Team delighted fans on Saturday afternoon with an appearance on the main stage at the Olympic Stadium. Selina Grotian, Janina Hettich-Walz, Franziska Preuß, Vanessa Voigt, Johannes Kühn, Philipp Nawrath, Danilo Riethmüller, and Justus Strelow received symbolic licence plates with their names and the BMW model they had chosen for the new season. BMW is the Mobility Partner of the DSV Biathlon and a Partner of the LOOP ONE Festival.

“We promise the German team a relaxed journey on the 'Road to Gold' with the new BMW vehicles. I am confident that the cars have enough space for some precious metal,” said Christian Ach, Head of BMW Germany, during the vehicle handover. “BMW and all its employees wish you great success for this weekend, the entire season, and safe travels at all times.”

The biathletes then took time for their fans, signing autographs before seizing a special photo opportunity. A new, fully electric BMW iX3, the first vehicle of the Neue Klasse, was displayed inside an oversized snow globe. The national team clearly enjoyed the moment.

The competitions on Sunday started at the BMW Welt. The new BMW iX3 served as the lead vehicle for the first part of the course. During the super sprint on roller skis, the final consisted of five laps of 1.8 kilometres each, with two shooting rounds in both standing and prone positions. In front of approximately 50,000 spectators, Eric Perrot from France won the men's competition. Despite three missed targets, he crossed the finish line first in 20:33.7 minutes, ahead of Norway's Isac Frey (3 missed targets/+5.7 seconds) and Germany's Justus Strelow (1/+8.9). In the women's competition, Italy's Lisa Vittozzi claimed a comfortable victory. With two missed targets, she finished in 23:44.5 minutes, ahead of Sweden's Johanna Skottheim (2/+5.9) and Anna Magnusson (2/+7.4), who took second and third place, respectively.

+++ Sei Young Kim from South Korea secures home victory at the BMW Ladies Championship +++ First title for the 32-year-old major champion in five years +++ Lucy Li (USA) wins all-electric BMW i7 eDrive50 with a hole-in-one +++ 66,000 fans attend tournament week at Pine Beach Golf Links +++

Gwangju/Munich . It was a final to delight the 30,000 spectators who came to Pine Beach Golf Links on Sunday as local hero Sei Young Kim (264 strokes, -24) won the BMW Ladies Championship 2025 convincingly with a four-stroke lead over Japan’s Nasa Hataoka. This marked the first victory by a South Korean player at the only LPGA Tour event in South Korea since Jin Young Ko’s triumph in 2021. Kim started the tournament with an impressive opening round (62 strokes, -10) and never looked back.

For the 32-year-old, this was her 13th title on the LPGA Tour and her first since winning the Women’s PGA Championship in 2020. Behind Kim and Hataoka, Celine Boutier from France and South Korea’s A Lim Kim (both -18) shared third place, while defending champion Hannah Green (AUS) and Yealimi Noh (USA, both -17) tied for fifth.

A highlight of the BMW Ladies Championship, which was attended by a total of 66,000 golf fans, came in the first round when Lucy Li scored a hole-in-one on the 13th hole (Par 3). For the spectacular shot from a distance of 155 yards using a 7-iron, the American was rewarded with an all-electric BMW i7 eDrive50. Li is the fourth player to earn a Hole-in-One Award at the BMW Ladies Championship, following Kristen Gillman (USA, 2019), Na Yeon Choi (KOR, 2022), and Ariya Jutanugarn (THA, 2022).

Next year, the BMW Ladies Championship will once again be held at Pine Beach Golf Links near Gwangju in the southwest of the country. To showcase the world-class golfers to fans nationwide, the tournament, organised by BMW Korea since 2019, regularly changes its venue.

Jerez de la Frontera. Mission title defense accomplished: Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) is once again the World Champion in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) for 2025! With third place in the second main race of the dramatic season finale in Jerez de la Frontera (ESP), ‘El Turco’ secured the crown. This marks his second consecutive World Championship title as a BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory rider with the BMW M 1000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team – and the third WorldSBK title of his career (2021, 2024, 2025).

After his outstanding championship win in 2024, Razgatlioglu entered the 2025 season as the clear favourite. However, following a winter testing phase during which the BMW M 1000 RR had to be adapted at short notice due to regulation changes, the season started off more challenging than expected. Despite scoring a hat-trick at the second round in Portimão (POR), there were also setbacks, and Razgatlioglu found himself in the role of the chaser behind Ducati rider Nicolò Bulega (ITA).

But by mid-season in June, ‘El Turco’, BMW Motorrad Motorsport, and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team turned the tide. In Misano (ITA), Donington Park (GBR), the new Balaton Park Circuit (HUN), and Magny-Cours (FRA), he won every race – achieving four consecutive hat-tricks and taking the championship lead. He then celebrated his first-ever victory at MotorLand Aragón (ESP), equaling his own record from 2024 of 13 consecutive wins. After further victories and podium finishes, he ultimately secured the 2025 title with 616 points – 13 points ahead of Bulega.

Teammate Michael van der Mark (NED) wrapped up his final weekend as a WorldSBK rider with more strong Top 10 finishes. After five years with the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team (2021–2025), he will remain part of the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family. Already on Tuesday in Jerez de la Frontera, he will be back on the BMW M 1000 RR, working with the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team to prepare for the 2026 WorldSBK season.

Reactions after the season finale.

Markus Flasch, CEO of BMW Motorrad: “Congratulations to Toprak and the entire team! This season, everyone has shown what true champions are made of. The first races weren’t easy, but for everyone – especially for Toprak – the attitude was clear: stand up, straighten your crown, and keep going. And what a way they kept going! The winning streak that began in Misano was simply breathtaking. Even on the nerve-racking final Sunday here in Jerez, after the unfortunate retirement in the Superpole Race through no fault of his own, everyone stayed completely focused and prepared everything perfectly so that Toprak could seal the deal in race two. The reward is Toprak’s well-deserved second World Championship title on our BMW M 1000 RR. We are incredibly proud of him and of everyone in the team, in Munich and Berlin, whose hard work made this achievement possible.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I am very happy and smiling. To get the title was very important for me. This was my last year with BMW and in the Superbike Paddock. It is a great gift to BMW before I leave for MotoGP. In the end we are World Champions. At the beginning of the season, we were not so strong but we improved with every race. Thanks to the entire team and BMW for all this hard work. It is not me being the World Champion, it is us. Looking back onto this final weekend: Everything went very well yesterday especially and today I came to the track more relaxed. I just needed to finish the Superpole Race within the top seven but we crashed in turn five. I know this is racing and everybody wants to pass. It is that he (Nicolò Bulega) just hit me and I crashed. After that I just stayed calm and focused on race two because I needed to do a good job there. I just focused on achieving the best possible position. I started the race not pushing too hard but I worked my way to the front step by step and in the end, we were on the podium. To be World Champion again is a great feeling and I want to thank everyone who was part of this journey.”

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “I am very happy – and speechless. It is such a great day. I think that after the Superpole Race, we all aged by ten years. The job the team did was amazing. The bike was pretty damaged and to work under that pressure to get it ready for race two was incredible. Everybody stayed calm, and I think this was in the end the key for us to win the title. The second title in a row – we are happy for Toprak, for the team, for BMW Motorrad. Toprak wrote history for BMW. It was wild ride together and we are sad that it’s over but we will cheer for him next year. And we are also so thankful for everything that Mickey has done for us. We had difficult years, also with injuries but he was always loyal to us. And he has played an important part in winning these two title in both years. We are really looking forward to continue working with him. What we are going to do, we will announce soon. But for now – we are going to have a big party tonight, and from tomorrow on we fully focus on the 2026 WorldSBK season with Danilo Petrucci and Miguel Oliveira.”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “I can‘t describe how I feel because it was an incredible day. A few hours with a lot of emotions, ups and downs, everything happened. But at the end for sure to see Toprak back on the podium, celebrating the second world championship for us, for BMW, makes me very proud and the whole project, the whole team, everybody involved. So it’s a fantastic day to complete a fantastic. At the end the key for any success in sport is always focus and teamwork. We listened to the riders, we looked into our package and tried to be focused to learn from the situation when we were not fast enough to beat our competitors. And with the focus of the riders, of the crew and all our technicians in Munich, we managed to turn the page. Thank you to Toprak, who is an incredible person on and off the track, thank you to Mickey, who did so much for us since he joined in 2021, and thank you to the entire team! A very personal thank-you also goes to my wife Katharina and my kids, who are always a source of support for me.”

Shaun Muir, Team Principal ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “My feelings are really tough to put into words. We woke up feeling super, super positive, but as we always know anything can happen in racing and it actually did in the sprint race. I’ve just got to put my hands together and praise the good work the guys did. The entire team stayed focused. In the end Toprak is a three-times World Champion, and two times with BMW. I am absolutely over the moon, proud as you can be, of everyone involved and the lot of hard work everybody did.

Michael van der Mark, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It has been a nice weekend. I have for sure some mixed feelings about my races, especially race two I didn’t enjoy as much as I wish I did. But you know it’s racing and I think after today we have a lot of things to be happy about with the team. It has been a strange season. The start of the season was a bit weird with the last minute changes in regulations and stuff like that. Especially my side, I struggled quite a lot with the bike honestly. Also at one point, mentally it was difficult and I just could not find any progress. That has been tough. But we always kept working, the team always kept working and I think towards the end of the year I did the Suzuka 8 Hours, got my confidence back and then when I came back I had the speed again and I felt more confident with the bike. I think Toprak showed again how special he is and he so deserves the title. He and the entire team deserve the title. Time went fast, and I enjoyed my time in WorldSBK. I have six wins here and podiums. Now I have exactly one day off and on Tuesday I will start with the test team to improve the package for next year for Danilo and Miguel.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 23°, track temperature: 21°, humidity: 59%, conditions: dry.

* New all-time lap record

Race 1.

Air temperature: 29°, track temperature: 30°, humidity: 41%, conditions: dry, laps: 20.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 2, 1:38.737

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 23°, track temperature: 21°, humidity: 60%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 2, 1:37.659 (new record)

Race 2.

Air temperature: 27°, track temperature: 30°, humidity: 49%, conditions: dry, laps: 20.