Valencia (ES), 12th November 2016. Marc Márquez has continued his
winning run in the BMW M Award: the Spaniard was once again the
fastest qualifier in the pinnacle of motorcycle racing in the 2016
MotoGPTM season, and picked up the coveted award for the fourth time
in a row. This year, his efforts in qualifying were rewarded with a
BMW M2 Coupé in Long Beach Blue Metallic (combined fuel consumption:
7.9 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions: 185 g/km). The BMW M Award was
presented for the 14th time in 2016. BMW M Division, long-term partner
of MotoGP organiser Dorna Sports, has run this special competition
since 2003. Using the same points system as is used for the races
themselves, the riders are awarded points according to their
qualifying positions at every Grand Prix weekend. The winner receives
an exclusive and customised BMW M car at the end of the season. The
official presentation traditionally takes place at the final round of
the MotoGP season. This year’s prize was presented to Márquez on
Saturday in Valencia (Spain) by Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports,
and Frank van Meel, President of BMW M Division.
In winning the BMW M Award for the fourth time in a row, Márquez has
once again made history. In 2013, Márquez became the first rookie ever
to win this prestigious competition. He repeated the success in 2014,
and in 2015 became the first rider to win three back-to-back BMW M
Awards. He now has his fourth straight win, making him the sole record
holder when it comes to BMW M Awards.
The BMW M2 Coupé enjoyed its world premiere in Detroit in January,
and immediately caught the eye on the international scene. BMW M’s
high-performance coupé has been in action on the racetrack this season
as the BMW M2 MotoGP Safety Car – a role, which allows the BMW M2
Coupé to showcase its power and dynamics. The sporty coupé design,
muscular form and the driver-oriented cockpit are what characterise
this year’s prize in the BMW M Award. The high-performance coupé is
powered by a 370-hp inline six-cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo
technology. The BMW M double-clutch gearbox (M DCG) with Drivelogic
ensures sporty, commanding vehicle handling in all situations. The BMW
M2 Coupé with M DCG accelerates from 0 to 100 in 4.3 seconds. The
sporty look of the car is also underlined by many other features.
“I am very proud to have won the BMW M Award again this year,” said
Márquez at the presentation in Valencia. “This award is very coveted
among us MotoGP riders, and this success is particularly important for
me. I think I have to really think about expanding my garage at home.
I am already really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the
BMW M2 Coupé. However I have to say that we already have a little
‘fight’ for the car in our family, as my mother and my brother Alex
are also keen to drive the BMW M2 Coupé.”
“Congratulations to Marc Márquez on this success,” said Carmelo
Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports. “He is now the sole record holder in
this competition, which boasts a long and successful tradition. The
fact that the BMW M Award has been presented for the 14th time this
year just goes to show how close and strong our partnership is with
BMW M Division. The BMW M Award has become a permanent fixture in
MotoGP, and we are already looking forward to reaching a small
milestone next year, when the award is presented for the 15th time.”
“Marc Márquez is the first MotoGP rider to have won the BMW M Award
four times – and in a row. Since 2013 he has regularly come out on top
against strong opposition and proven his unquestionable talent as the
fastest qualifier in MotoGP. Congratulations on this impressive effort
in this historic success,” said Frank van Meel, President of BMW M
Division. “The BMW M Award is of great importance to us in our
partnership with Dorna Sports. It is important to us to honour the
outstanding performances shown by the best motorcycle racers in the
world accordingly. As such, we place great importance on ensuring that
the winner’s car is very special every year. The new BMW M2 Coupé has
impressed all over the world with its impressive combination of power,
dynamics and agility, and we are confident that Marc Márquez will also
get a lot of joy out of this high-performance coupé.”
As well as Márquez, a further five riders have won the BMW M Award
since it was launched. Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner have won the
award three times, Jorge Lorenzo has won the BMW M Award twice so far,
and Sete Gibernau and Nicky Hayden have both won it once.
You can find more information on the extensive activities of BMW M
Division in MotoGP, and the BMW M Award, online at: