In 2006, speedbrain race management was founded exclusively for BMW’s new involvement in off-road racing. The key positions were filled with top professionals who have been successful in the scene for many years. Managing director Wolfgang Fischer leads the team together with Markus Theobald, who is project manager on the technical side.
The team started virtually from zero. First a racing bike with flat twin engine was used. Rewards were not long in coming. The Finn Simo Kirssi secured sensational success on the HP2 on the notorious Erzberg, including victories in the King’s Class and the Prologue. The Open Class at the famous Pikes Peak in Colorado (USA) also brought a double victory in 2006. Not a bad start ...
In 2007 prototypes of the BMW G 450 X were already being used and caused a stir at the first race of the WEC 2007.
In 2008 BMW returned to professional enduro racing with the BMW G 450 X. Once again it was Simo Kirssi who set the pace, winning the German and European Championships in cross country racing in the very first year. At the WEC, Kirssi secured BMW Motorrad’s first podium position – a real sensation in BMW Motorrad’s first full World Championship season.
The sheer speed of this success is also due to the development work of longstanding off-road specialists such as Joel Smets and Anders Eriksson.
For the current year, BMW Motorrad has been able to gain the services of the best enduro riders in the world. David Knight, Juha Salminen, Marko Tarkkala and Simo Kirssi will be chasing the title in the two WEC classes E2 and E3, also taking part in cross country races and extreme enduros. The stated aim: to win the world championship!
The BMW Motorrad Off-Road Team moved into the Motorsport Competence Centre in Stephanskirchen right on time for the 2009 season. The entire BMW Motorrad racing team now works together here, using synergies, developing the technology further and making key decisions to set the future course.
Incidentally: many of the racing parts developed by the factory team can be ordered by riders with sporty ambitions directly from the team.
