EWC: Take Five With Michael Van Der Mark

With four wins in the Suzuka 8 Hours to his name, World Superbike star Michael van der Mark has joined BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team to go for a fifth victory when the legendary EWC event takes place from 1-3 August.

The 32-year-old Dutchman took time out from his preparations for round three of the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship season to answer five key questions.

What is it about the Suzuka 8 Hours that brings the best out in you?

“Consistency and focus, the stints are long, they’re like over an hour. You have to be consistent. You have to push but you cannot be as fast as you want for the full hour. Then you have to focus because you have to pass a lot of people. To do the focus and the consistency together is quite difficult but it’s the only way during these stints.”

Van der Mark was part of the winning Yamaha Factory Racing Team at Suzuka in 2018. Photo courtesy EWC.

You join a BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team fighting for the 2025 EWC title. What element of pressure does that bring?

“Our main goal is to make history and that’s to be the first European brand to be on the Suzuka podium. It will be even better to win the race and that’s for sure the goal.”

With Sylvain Guintoli not racing at Suzuka this year you join forces with Steven Odendaal and Markus Reiterberger. What are they like as guys and team-mates?

“They’re really nice, we did a test a couple of weeks ago and there was a good atmosphere. For me it was like, ‘I’m like new in the team’, so I just came there to ride the bike, I didn’t want to be the new guy, I did my thing, listened to them and we had a good time. From the first moment we were on same level and the same way we want to work.”

Suzuka testing in June was a reminder of the high temperatures in store for Japan's EWC round. Photo courtesy EWC. — Suzuka testing in June was a reminder of the high temperatures in store for Japan’s EWC round. Photo courtesy EWC.

The Suzuka 8 Hours often means very difficult conditions, crazy humidity and temperatures. Where does the key lie at least for a podium for BMW?

“The main thing is consistency, we know we have a good speed, a good pace but it’s eight hours and so many things can happen. Everyone knows their pace, we know what we can do, we’re all ready to do our stints but no one knows what’s going to happen. This is the nice thing about endurance, it’s eight hours, it’s eight long hours but we have to push for eight hours, we have to be smart, ride on our toes to do everything as perfectly as we can.”

Dutchman van der Mark in recent World Superbike action at Donington Park. Photo courtesy EWC.

Your father Henk van der Mark won the 24 Heures Motos in 1984. Can we expect to see you doing a 24-hour race in the future?

“At the moment eight hours is long enough for me so not yet, but I will never say never. I would like to experience [a 24 hour race] but not now.”

The 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race takes place from 1-3 August. Click HERE for more information.

Van der Mark is a four-time winner of the Suzuka 8 Hours. Photo courtesy EWC.

MICHAEL VAN DER MARK’S SUZUKA WINS REVISITED

2013: With Leon Haslam and Takumi Takahashi (Honda)

2014: With Leon Haslam and Takumi Takahashi (Honda)

2017: With Alex Lowes and Katsuyuki Nakasuga (Yamaha)

2018: With Alex Lowes and Katsuyuki Nakasuga (Yamaha)