BMW Motorrad Motorsport launched their 2026 programme this week and 8TEN Racing BMW Motorrad’s Peter Hickman and Davey Todd joined teams from around the world in preparation for the start of the season.
8TEN Racing were present at the event alongside the factory teams including ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK and the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (FIM EWC), whilst their BMW Motorrad Motorsport Official Team counterparts from the USA and Japan were also featured.
Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, said: “After the two world championship titles in 2024 and 2025, our full focus is now on continuing this momentum. In customer racing, our goal for 2026 is to further internationalise. In BSB and Road Racing, our Official Team from the UK, 8TEN Racing with Peter Hickman and Davey Todd, will compete. This is also an incredibly strong rider combination.
“Overall, it is important for us to strengthen international motorsport in customer racing. We are heading into the 2026 season highly motivated – it embodies our ambition, our drive, and our determination to go full throttle from the very first race.”
Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport, said: “2026 will be an exciting year of motorsport for BMW Motorrad Motorsport, with clear goals and focus. The mix of new riders and technicians, along with our already strong race teams, partners, and sponsors, makes us eager for more. Everyone is looking forward to the season opener in all relevant classes.”
Uwe Geyer, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport Customer Racing, said: “In customer racing, we are well-positioned this year, both for the Superbike class and for the Superstock programme worldwide. We have successfully adopted developments from WorldSBK, such as a new swingarm and improvements in electronics. Our Superstock package is up-to-date and competitive. The first teams are already receiving their new motorcycles.
“In addition, we have introduced Official Teams with whom we maintain closer collaboration in order to further drive internationalisation. These include, for example, the BSB, Japan, and MotoAmerica. The number of our top teams, for example in France, Spain, and Germany in the EuroMoto, has remained the same. Therefore, my personal goal is to further increase the number of overall wins through cooperation with our partner teams. That is the target for this year.”
Darren Jones, Team Manager 8TEN Racing, said: “With the winter behind us and more support from BMW Motorrad Motorsport themselves I’m looking forward to the season. Especially after last year with everything being put together so late. It was always going to be a struggle and we were always on the back foot, but now I think with the support we’ve got and the sponsors that are helping us out even more than before, I’m pretty confident we can put on a good show for everyone.”
Hickman said: “We’re actually really looking forward to the 2026 season. Obviously, last year was almost a rushed year for us one way or another and of course I had a big injury as well. So for 2026 we are much, much more prepared as a team. Both me and Davey as well have got much more of a handle on what‘s actually going on and the team’s working really, really well.
Todd said: “I’m really looking forward to 2026. It’s going to be another fun year with our 8TEN Racing team. We’ve been working on everything and had a little bit more time this year to prepare, which is what we’re doing right now. Spending some time preparing is exactly what we didn’t have at the beginning of 2025 and we still finished with some very good results at the end of the year. So we know we can come into 2026 and improve in all areas, particularly on circuits, particularly at BSB.”
“We’re happy with the bikes, we’re happy with everything for the season. Overall, last year was more of a building year, as it ended up having to be, and then this year we can really kind of hit the ground running, much, much more prepared and really looking forward to it.”