Van der Mark makes Suzuka 8 Hours return with BMW
The Dutchman will race at the historic eight-hour race in August alongside former WorldSSP title contender Steven Odendaal and BMW test rider Markus Reiterberger
Another rider from the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid is set to race at the Suzuka 8 Hours in early August. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will race at the iconic endurance race for BMW as he goes in search of a fifth win at the Japanese circuit. The #60 last won the race in 2018 for Yamaha, and also won it back-to-back for Honda in 2013 and 2014, and now has the goal of taking a third manufacturer to glory.
The Dutchman completes the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team’s line-up for the event, taking the place of Sylvain Guintoli who is skipping Suzuka. He’s joined by 2021 WorldSSP runner-up Steven Odendaal and Markus Reiterberger, who combines his EWC duties for BMW with a test rider role for the WorldSBK team.
Van der Mark is one of the most successful riders at the Suzuka 8 Hours race with four wins to his name already. He won in 2013 and 2014 for Honda when he rode alongside Takumi Takahashi – the rider with the most Suzuka victories – and Leon Haslam. He then went back-to-back again in 2017 and 2018, this time for Yamaha. In both of those races, he raced alongside Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Katsuyuki Nakasuga. Van der Mark is searching for a fifth win at the classic endurance race with three different manufacturers.
Four-time #Suzuka8Hours winner Michael van der Mark will join this year's line-up for BMW Motorrad World Endurance team #FIMEWC pic.twitter.com/FGCHIYYZ3c
— FIM EWC (@FIM_EWC) July 7, 2025
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