For the 2020 FIM Endurance World Championship, a new factory effort will join the paddock, as BMW Motorrad has announced its intentions to bring a Munich-backed BMW S1000RR to the competition.
BMW Motorrad has already been in the FIM EWC, of course, but the German brand was participating by supplying technical support to any endurance team that could afford the bill.
Now with a full-fledged factory team, BMW Motorrad joins the ranks of Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha at the big kids’ table in the series. More importantly though, the chance to compete in the FIM EWC gives the Bavarians a relatively low-cost racing opportunity to showcase their new superbike.
To make this factory effort work, BMW Motorrad will join forces with the MRP team, which has already experience racing the BMW S1000RR at the word level.
BMW and MRP haven’t announced riders yet, but we do know that the team will run on Dunlop tires – the FIM EWC being the only world championship in motorcycling that has a proper tire war.
“The FIM EWC is becoming increasingly popular around the world and gives us the opportunity to be present also in the Asian markets,” said Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad.
“That’s why it is a logical step for us to expand our works commitment with the new RR, which is already making waves in the FIM Superbike World Championship this season. I’m looking forward to gripping endurance races with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team.”
“As part of our customer racing program, we have had a presence in the FIM EWC for several years and we are looking forward to taking the next step with the new BMW S1000RR and having a works involvement there now,” added BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers.
“The objective is clear: The first season in this top-level world championship will be a year of learning in which we want to become more and more competitive step by step. In the longer term our aim is to be up there among the leading pack and battling for the title.”
The 2020 EWC season oddly starts in several weeks, with the Bol d’Or 24-hour race in September, followed by the Eight Hours of Sepang in December. For reasons that defy calendars, only three of the five EWC races occur in 2020.
Make no mistake though, today is big news for the FIM Endurance World Championship, which continues to gain steam as OEMs look for more affordable (and relevant) places to showcase their racing abilities.
Source: BMW Motorrad
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