Netherlands
Michael Van Der Mark
Michael van der Mark is a four-time Suzuka 8hr race winner who has been with BMW since 2021. Michael continues to write Dutch racing history; he is the first ever Dutch Superstock 600 UEM European champion, the first ever Dutch World Supersport champion and the first ever Dutch WSBK podium finisher. He is currently riding for the Rokit BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.
Date of Birth: October 26, 1992
Hometown: Gouda, Netherlands
Michael made his racing debut in 2005, competing in the Dutch 125cc Junior Cup when he was just 12 years old. He enjoyed a strong start to his racing career, becoming Dutch 125cc champion in 2008 and 2009.
He made his Grand Prix racing debut in the 125cc class in 2008 at Assen, and two years later became a full-time GP rider, racing a Lambretta 125.
Michael tasted his first international success in 2012 when he won the Superstock 600 UEM European championship with the EAB Ten Kate Junior Team.
His career continued to flourish and he made the jump into World Supersport in 2013. Back-to-back podiums in the first two rounds saw him lay the foundations for an impressive campaign, where he scored a podium in Turkey on his way to a fourth place finish in the rider standings. That season also saw him debut in the World Endurance series and he won the prestigious Suzuka 8hr race, becoming the first Dutch winner of the race.
In 2014 Michael lifted the 2014 World Supersport championship after taking six race wins and four second-place finishes. He also won the Suzuka 8hr race again.
Michael made the jump to WSBK in 2015 racing for the Ten Kate Honda team, taking three podiums in his debut season. He went even better the following season, scooping six podiums on his way to a fourth-place finish in the rider standings.
In 2017 he moved to the Pata Yamaha WSBK team and enjoyed a successful debut season, impressing throughout the year and recording podiums in Portimao and Magny-Cours. 2017 also saw Michael record his third Suzuka 8hr victory, his first with Yamaha. He also made his MotoGP debut covering for Jonas Folger in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team in Malaysia and Japan.
2018 saw Michael continue to challenge for honors, and after securing a podium in Thailand he went on to take a double podium at his home race in Assen before his historic double victory at Donington Park that saw him take the first Yamaha WSBK victory since 2011. He finished the season in third place in the overall rider standings. He also added another Suzuka 8hr victory to his name, bringing his tally of wins to four.
Career Highlights:
2008 – Dutch 125cc Champion
2009 – Dutch 125cc Champion
2012 – Superstock 600 UEM European champion
2013 – Suzuka 8hr winner
2014 – World Supersport champion, Suzuka 8hr winner
2017 – Suzuka 8hr winner
2018 – Suzuka 8hr winner
He made his Grand Prix racing debut in the 125cc class in 2008 at Assen, and two years later became a full-time GP rider, racing a Lambretta 125.
Michael tasted his first international success in 2012 when he won the Superstock 600 UEM European championship with the EAB Ten Kate Junior Team.
His career continued to flourish and he made the jump into World Supersport in 2013. Back-to-back podiums in the first two rounds saw him lay the foundations for an impressive campaign, where he scored a podium in Turkey on his way to a fourth place finish in the rider standings. That season also saw him debut in the World Endurance series and he won the prestigious Suzuka 8hr race, becoming the first Dutch winner of the race.
In 2014 Michael lifted the 2014 World Supersport championship after taking six race wins and four second-place finishes. He also won the Suzuka 8hr race again.
Michael made the jump to WSBK in 2015 racing for the Ten Kate Honda team, taking three podiums in his debut season. He went even better the following season, scooping six podiums on his way to a fourth-place finish in the rider standings.
In 2017 he moved to the Pata Yamaha WSBK team and enjoyed a successful debut season, impressing throughout the year and recording podiums in Portimao and Magny-Cours. 2017 also saw Michael record his third Suzuka 8hr victory, his first with Yamaha. He also made his MotoGP debut covering for Jonas Folger in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team in Malaysia and Japan.
2018 saw Michael continue to challenge for honors, and after securing a podium in Thailand he went on to take a double podium at his home race in Assen before his historic double victory at Donington Park that saw him take the first Yamaha WSBK victory since 2011. He finished the season in third place in the overall rider standings. He also added another Suzuka 8hr victory to his name, bringing his tally of wins to four.
Career Highlights:
2008 – Dutch 125cc Champion
2009 – Dutch 125cc Champion
2012 – Superstock 600 UEM European champion
2013 – Suzuka 8hr winner
2014 – World Supersport champion, Suzuka 8hr winner
2017 – Suzuka 8hr winner
2018 – Suzuka 8hr winner
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