BMW Motorrad Motorsport Sets Strong Global Line-Up for 2026 Season

Petrucci and Oliveira spearheaded the WorldSBK campaign as van der Mark strengthened BMW’s World Endurance push.

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BMW Motorrad Motorsport heads into the 2026 racing season with an extensive global programme, reinforced factory teams, and a roster of top-level riders. The German manufacturer’s factory efforts will once again focus on 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 (EWC).

Customer racing also remains a major pillar of the brand’s activities. Numerous teams will compete worldwide in various championships, including three BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Teams: Orange Cat Racing, 8TEN Racing, and AutoRace Ube Racing.

Following two world championship titles, BMW Motorrad Motorsport and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, led by Team Principal Shaun Muir, begin a new chapter in 2026 with an all-new rider line-up. Italian rider Danilo Petrucci, 35, joins from the Barni Spark Ducati Racing Team. In recent seasons, he has established himself as one of the leading contenders in the WorldSBK paddock, scoring race wins and podiums with a private team and running third in the standings before injury ruled him out of the final stages. Petrucci will ride the #9 BMW M 1000 RR.

He is joined by Portuguese star Miguel Oliveira, 31, a former Prima Pramac MotoGP rider. Competing in MotoGP since 2019, Oliveira achieved multiple Grand Prix victories and podiums. He will make his WorldSBK debut aboard the #88 BMW M 1000 RR. The WorldSBK season kicks off on February 21–22 at Phillip Island, Australia.

In the FIM EWC, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, managed by Werner Daemen, narrowly missed out on the world title last season. Less than 30 minutes separated the squad from championship glory at the season finale, the Bol d’Or in France, before a technical issue dropped them to third overall. Despite the setback, their performance earned them the unofficial title of “World Champions of Hearts.”

For 2026, the rider line-up of the #37 BMW M 1000 RR sees just one change, with Michael van der Mark joining the team. A BMW factory rider in WorldSBK since 2021, van der Mark now transitions to the EWC programme. He already competed with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team at Suzuka in 2025. Continuing with the squad are long-time BMW rider Markus Reiterberger, part of the project since its 2019/20 debut, Steven Odendaal, and Hannes Soomer as the fourth rider.

Beyond EWC duties, the riders also have additional commitments. Van der Mark serves as a test rider for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Test Team, Reiterberger and Soomer will compete in the new EuroMoto series (formerly IDM Superbike), while Odendaal will defend his Spanish Superbike Championship title.

Sylvain Guintoli will also remain active in the EWC on a BMW M 1000 RR, forming a strong trio with Soomer and Naomichi Uramoto in the AutoRace Ube Racing Team. The FIM EWC season begins with the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France on April 18–19.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, said the focus is firmly on maintaining momentum after the championship successes of 2024 and 2025. He noted that the team is well positioned in WorldSBK, with Petrucci and Oliveira bringing experience and proven pace. Despite rain-affected testing, the squad heads to Australia feeling confident.

Oliveira admitted he is excited about the challenge of WorldSBK, describing the grid as highly competitive. His aim is to adapt quickly, fight for top positions, and enjoy the racing with the team.

Petrucci expressed pride at joining the reigning championship-winning squad, saying he is eager to race the BMW M 1000 RR. He added that testing in wet conditions had been positive, though more dry running is needed. While expectations are high, his main goal is to enjoy the season, be as fast as possible, and improve on last year’s results.