Werner Daemen covers his face with his hands and shakes his head. “An Endurance World Championship race is just as demanding as an entire IDM season.” For weeks now, the Belgian has been carrying a backpack filled with file folders, which he keeps glancing into. The individual pages contain technical drawings. “We have to manufacture all the parts for the endurance motorcycle ourselves. Nothing conforms to standard specifications.”
There are thousands of things the manager of the new BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team has to take care of—and keep in mind. Yet Daemen would have more reason to celebrate. A week and a half ago, Ilya Mikhalchik defended his title in the IDM Superbike 1000 with his alpha Racing-Van Zon-BMW team. But the party will have to wait until the finale in Hockenheim.
Why? The Ukrainian and his teammate Julian Puffe are part of the new BMW project and will be competing in the next event. The new endurance team’s first outing is just around the corner: the 24-hour Bol d’Or classic in Le Castellet, southern France. It marks the opening round of the 2019/2020 FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC).
The trio of riders—Kenny Foray (F), Julian Puffe (D), and Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR)—will take turns at the handlebars of the BMW S 1000 RR bearing start number “37.” Bastien Mackels (B) will serve as the reserve rider. With the exception of Foray, these are top riders from the IDM Superbike 1000 series. The 83rd edition of the Bol d’Or starts on Saturday, September 21, at 3 p.m., and ends 24 hours later on Sunday afternoon.
The #37 RR is based on the BMW from the Superbike World Championship. It has been modified for endurance racing. These modifications include a larger fuel tank, a quick-fill system, and quick-change wheel mechanisms. The electronics have been adapted to meet FIM EWC requirements, and the engine is designed for durability and fuel efficiency. Why the number “37”? It is derived from the company EMC37, which has been active in endurance racing for years and whose owner, Steven Casaer, has been appointed Technical Coordinator of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team.
“We’re treating our debut season as a learning experience, during which we hope to make steady progress,” says Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director. Ilya Mikhalchik, whose goal is to maintain a strong pace throughout the weekend, admits he also wants to enjoy riding the factory bike.