The 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship delivered another unforgettable chapter at the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, as BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team secured a memorable home victory in the 8 Hours of Spa after starting from pole position.
While BMW began the race from the front of the grid, the German manufacturer was immediately challenged by a flying F.C.C. TSR Honda France machine, which seized the lead during the opening laps. However, BMW regrouped, reclaimed the advantage and expertly controlled proceedings for the remainder of a race that proved as unpredictable as the Ardennes weather.
Frequent transitions between sunshine and rain created a strategic headache for every team in the paddock. Tyre selection and pit stop timing became critical factors, with changing conditions constantly forcing teams to adapt their race plans.
YART Yamaha capitalised on several well-timed strategy calls during the wet periods to move into contention for victory. The Austrian squad looked poised to challenge BMW all the way to the finish, but an additional pit stop during the final hour ended their hopes of taking the top step of the podium. Nevertheless, a strong second-place finish allowed YART to maintain its lead in the championship standings.
Completing the overall podium was Kawasaki Webike Trickstar. The Japanese squad overcame adversity after suffering a crash during the race, producing a determined recovery drive to secure a valuable third-place result.
Local favourites Elf Marc VDS Racing Team/KM99 endured a dramatic afternoon of their own. Having spent much of the race running comfortably inside the top four, the Belgian team suffered a late crash that threatened to end their challenge. Despite the setback, the crew worked tirelessly to repair the machine and return it to the track, ensuring the team reached the chequered flag.
Although victory slipped away, F.C.C. TSR Honda France left Spa with the fastest lap of the race courtesy of Corentin Perolari aboard the #5 Honda. Unfortunately, a technical issue in the closing stages brought an abrupt end to what had been a highly competitive performance.
In the championship battle, YART Yamaha continues to lead the standings with 91 points. Yoshimura SERT Motul Team remains second on 69 points, while BMW's victory has moved the German squad to within a single point of second place on 68 points, significantly tightening the title fight heading into the next round.
In the Superstock category, Revo-M2 delivered a commanding performance to claim victory by an impressive margin of 1 minute 37.528 seconds over Wojcik Racing Team. Team 18 Pompiers IGOL CMS Motostore completed the class podium. It was a disappointing outing for previous race winners Champion-MRP, who were forced to retire after completing 100 laps.
Meanwhile, the Production class honours went to ARTEC's Kawasaki, which secured victory ahead of Team HTC Racing Yamaha and Mana-au Competition Honda.
The demanding Spa-Francorchamps circuit once again lived up to its reputation, producing a race packed with changing conditions, dramatic incidents and strategic intrigue. With the championship battle tightening at the top, the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship promises even more excitement as the season progresses.
Photos: - ©Niklas Husmann
