YART Clinches 2025 EWC Title in Heart-Stopping Bol d’Or Finale

The 88th Bol d’Or at Circuit Paul Ricard delivered one of the most electrifying conclusions in FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) history. In a race packed with drama and heartbreak, the Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team seized the 2025 world title by a razor-thin margin—just one point—after BMW’s championship dreams went up in smoke with less than 30 minutes remaining.

SERT Dominates, But Falls Just Short

Yoshimura SERT Motul once again proved unbeatable at Paul Ricard, claiming a third consecutive Bol d’Or victory with clinical precision. Gregg Black, Etienne Masson, and Dan Linfoot were relentless from the start, with Black setting a new lap record in qualifying before the trio took command of the race.

Even a stop/go penalty couldn’t derail their momentum. The Suzuki squad led at both the eight-hour and 16-hour marks, earning maximum bonus points and maintaining a two-lap lead to the finish. It marked SERT’s third win of the season—yet heartbreakingly, they missed out on the championship by a single point.

BMW’s Title Bid Ends in Agony

For much of the race, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team looked poised to make history. Markus Reiterberger, Sylvain Guintoli, and Steven Odendaal had the #37 BMW M 1000 RR on track for what would have been the German manufacturer’s first EWC crown.

BMW matched YART point-for-point in qualifying and led the standings at both intermediate checkpoints. Running second in the race, they were on course for glory—until disaster struck. After 23.5 hours of racing, an engine failure forced the team to retire, leaving them third in the championship and shattered in the pit box.

YART’s Grit Pays Off in Championship Glory

The dramatic twist handed the title to YART, whose race had been anything but smooth. Marvin Fritz, Karel Hanika, and Jason O’Halloran battled through adversity—a loose fairing cost them precious time, and illness within the team meant Fritz and O’Halloran had to take on extra stints through the night.

At times, a third-place finish seemed inevitable. But BMW’s late retirement catapulted YART to second at the flag—just enough to clinch the championship. The triumph marks YART’s third EWC title, adding to their victories in 2009 and 2023, and secures Yamaha back-to-back Manufacturers’ Championships.

Mandy Kainz – Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team Manager

“What can I say. This is endurance racing. We worked so hard, but it looked like the championship was out of our reach, and then that happened. It was an incredible finish, and I am so proud of all of the team. We did not quite have the pace of our rivals, but they never gave up. We kept fighting, despite all three riders and a number of the mechanics suffering from a nasty stomach bug. It still hasn’t sunk in yet, if I am honest, our third world title… wow! I want to thank Yamaha, Bridgestone, all of our sponsors, and every single member of the team. We did it! I would also like to mention the BMW team, who were outstanding, and they did not deserve to lose the championship this way. We have all had bad luck, but this was something else, and I want to congratulate them on a superb season-long battle.”

Yohei Kato – Yoshimura SERT Motul Team Director

“I’m finding it a little difficult to express how I feel. Of course, there’s the frustration of coming so close to the title, but I’m also very happy with the team’s performance and the work done by my riders. We’ve been very strong since the start of the week. In the first qualifying session, Gregg broke the track record and the next day, Etienne improved on it! Then our perfect race demonstrated all the qualities of this “old generation” Suzuki. We’ll be back next year with a brand-new and very promising version.”

Sven Blusch – Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport

“Of course, it is very bitter when a possible world championship title slips away so shortly before the finish. Just 28 minutes separated us from this historic success. But that is endurance racing: nothing is decided until the checkered flag falls. The riders and the team gave everything to keep the dream alive, but fate had other plans. Congratulations to YART on winning the title. Once the initial disappointment fades, we can be proud of what the team achieved this season. Everyone delivered outstanding performances in all four races. My thanks go to everyone in the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, to Team Manager Werner Daemen and our riders, as well as all the colleagues in Munich and Berlin who worked so hard for this dream. Next year we want to make it a reality – that’s a promise! The performance of the AutoRace Ube Racing Team was also impressive; in their Bol d’Or debut they held fourth place for a long time. Congratulations to the Champion-MRP-Tecmas Team. Third place overall and victory in the Superstock class is an outstanding achievement and once again highlights the strength of the BMW M 1000 RR in all its specifications.”