Bridgestone-Equipped BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team Crowned 2026 FIM EWC Champions

• BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team wins 2026 FIM EWC title, marking Bridgestone's sixth consecutive championship as tire supplier.
• Teams on Bridgestone BATTLAX tires swept the top five positions in final season standings.
• Bridgestone reaffirms its commitment to supporting EWC teams and advancing global motorsport culture.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) today announced that the Bridgestone-supported BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team captured the 2026 FIM¹ Endurance World Championship (EWC) title on Sept. 20 following the season final at the Bol d'Or at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France. Riding on premium Bridgestone BATTLAX motorcycle tires, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team secured the top spot in the world's premier endurance motorcycle racing series, marking the sixth consecutive year, and seventh time overall, a Bridgestone-equipped team has claimed the EWC championship.

Demonstrating proven performance and durability, all five of the top teams in the final overall standings ran on Bridgestone tires. Ultimately, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team secured victory in the final race of the season following a dramatic 24-hour endurance race filled with dynamic twists and turns down to the final lap. 

The 2026 Bol d'Or was about redemption for the Belgian-based team, as twelve months prior at the same circuit, they were less than 30 minutes away from claiming the title when a mechanical failure ended their chance at the championship win. Returning to Circuit Paul Ricard, riders Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal and Michael van der Mark delivered a remarkable performance to secure BMW's first-ever FIM EWC World Championship.

2026 FIM EWC Bridgestone Results:

• 1^st Place: Team Name: BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team; Team Number: 37; Bike: BMW M 1000 RR; Riders: Markus Reiterberger, Steven Odendaal, Michael van der Mark and Jẽrẽmy Guarnoni; Team Manager: Werner Daemen
• 2^nd Place: Team Name: YART Yahama Official EWC Team; Team Number: 1; Bike: Yamaha YZF–R1; Riders: Karel Hanika, Marvin Fritz and Leandro Denis Mercado; Team Manager: Manfred Kainz
• 3^rd Place: Team Name: Yoshimura Sert Motul; Team Number: 12; Bike: Suzuki GSX-R 1000R; Riders: Gregg Black, Etienne Masson and Dan Linfoot; Team Manager: Damien Saulnier
• 4^th Place: Team Name: Kawasaki Webike Trickstar; Team Number: 11; Bike: KawasakiZX-10RR; Riders: Roman Ramos Alvaro, Christian Gamarino, Grẽgory Leblanc and Enzo De La Vega; Team Manager: Ryuji Tsuruta
• 5^th Place: Team Name: Autorace Ube Racing Team; Team Number: 76; Bike: BMW M 1000 RR; Riders: Naomichi Uramoto, Sylvain Guintoli, Hannes Soomer and Jẽrẽmy Guarnoni; Team Manager: Tsunetaka Igami
• 7^th Place: Team Name: F.C.C TSR Honda France; Team Number: 5; Bike: Honda CBR 1000 RR-R; Riders: Alan Techer, Corentin Perolari, John McPhee and Jordi Torres Fernandez; Team Manager: Toru Bovẽ
• 12^th Place: Team Name: Honda HRC; Team Number: 30; Bike: Honda CBR 1000 RR-R-SP; Riders: Takumi Takahashi, Jonathan Rea and Somkiat Chantra; Team Manager: Teruaki Matsubara
• 13^th Place: Team Name: Elf Marc VDS Racing Team/KM99; Team Number: 99; Bike: Yamaha YZF–R1; Riders: Randy De Puniet, Florian Marino, Alessandro Delbianco and Bo Bendsneyder; Team Manager: Kupper Mario
• 17^th Place: Team Name: Yamaha Factory Racing Team; Team Number: 21; Bike: Yamaha YZF–R1; Riders: Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Jack Miller and Andrea Locatelli; Team Manager: Wataru Yoshikawa
• 18^th Place: Team Name: Team PMS99 YAM Service; Team Number: 98; Bike: Yamaha YZF–R1; Riders: Marcus Delestre, Ryan Maher, Fausto Mincione and Timothee Monot; Team Manager: Loĩc Pouvillon
• 19^th Place: Team Name: SDG Team Harc-Pro. Honda; Team Number: 73; Bike: Honda CBR 1000 RR-R; Riders: Yuki Kunii, Teppei Nagoe and Keito Abe; Team Manager: Kotaro Honda
• 20^th Place: Team Name: Honda Asia-Dream Racing with Astemo; Team Number: 88; Bike: Honda CBR 1000 RR–R; Riders: Nakarin Atiratphuvapat, Khairul Idham Pawi and Mohammad Adenanta Putra; Team Manager: Makoto Tamada
• 21^st Place: Team Name: Team ATJ with NTT Docomo Business; Team Number: 40; Bike: Honda CBR 1000 RR-R-SP; Riders: Satoru Iwata, Koki Suzuki and Takuma Kunimine; Team Manager: Takahiro Nakatsuhara
• 22^nd Place: Team Name: S-Pulse Dream Racing Suzuki; Team Number: 95; Bike: Suzuki GSX-R 1000R; Riders: Sho Nishimura, Jonas Folger and Jẽrẽmy Guarnoni; Team Manager: Hideyuki Ogata
• 23^rd Place: Team Name: Marumae Team Kodama; Team Number: 50; Bike: YamahaYZF-R1; Riders: Yuta Kodama, Max Stauffer and Takumi Takahashi; Team Manager: Yuta Kodama
• 25^th Place: Team Name: KRP Sanyo Kogyo & RS-ITOH; Team Number: 23; Bike: Kawasaki ZX 10R; Riders: Yuto Sano, Katsuto Sano and Riku Sugawara; Team Manager: Kazunari Ito
• 26^th Place: Team Name: Astemo Pro Honda Si Racing; Team Number: 17; Bike: Honda CBR 1000 RR-R; Riders: Kohta Nozane, Taiga Hada and Kohta Arakawa; Team Manager: Shinichi Ito
• 27^th Place: Team Name: Honda Suzuka Racing Team; Team Number: 20; Bike: Honda CBR 1000 RR-R; Riders: Ben Young, Genki Nakajima and Maiku Watanuki; Team Manager: Kazuhiro Matsushita
• 28^th Place: Team Name: Shinsyuren with Totec; Team Number: 45; Bike: BMWM 1000 RR; Riders: Hinata Nakajima, Kyosuke Okuda and Isami Higashimura; Team Manager: Katsuyuki Yoshii

"On behalf of Bridgestone, I want to congratulate the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team on earning a hard-fought championship victory," said Nico Thuy, Director Motorcycle at Bridgestone EMEA. "To all our partner teams who also gave an extraordinary effort out on the track – we are proud to stand behind you. Reliable tires are a non-negotiable foundation for pushing the absolute limit in a series as grueling as the FIM EWC, and we are deeply honored that so many exceptional teams rely on Bridgestone to perform and endure."

Championship-grade tech

Bridgestone has outfitted many full-season EWC competitors with high-performance BATTLAX race tires since 2017, establishing a proven track record of championship-winning success on the world's most demanding circuits. In 2026, Bridgestone served as the exclusive tire supplier for 19 EWC teams, highlighting the trust these elite racing programs placed in the BATTLAX lineup to deliver consistent, winning performance in high-stakes endurance competition.

The FIM EWC places relentless demands on equipment, pushing tires, and riders, to their absolute limits over non-stop 8- to 24-hour stretches. Engineered with advanced compound technology and high-rigidity architecture, Bridgestone race tires are designed to deliver maximum traction, predictable handling and long-lasting durability through every stint. This precision engineering gives riders unwavering confidence to maintain a winning pace, regardless of shifting track temperatures, weather changes or variable surface conditions.

Driven by a passion for motorsports and sustainability

From world championship endurance racing to grassroots competitions, motorsports remain a vital proving ground for Bridgestone's continuous pursuit of excellence. Bridgestone's commitment extends beyond technical competition, actively nurturing global motorsport culture while collaborating with leading manufacturers and teams at every level to push the boundaries of tire technology and durability.

Through these high-stakes partnerships, Bridgestone advances its "From Circuit to Street" concept. Testing advanced rubber compounds and structural designs under demanding endurance conditions, including dramatic day-to-night temperature shifts and unpredictable weather, allows Bridgestone engineers to accelerate the development of premium replacement tires. This continuous innovation drives the future of sustainable, high-performance mobility for all riders.

Media information: 

¹FIM stands for Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme.

About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.: 

Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and rubber, building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Bridgestone Americas employs more than 45,000 people across its worldwide operations. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.

SOURCE Bridgestone Americas, Inc.