EWC Take Five với Steven Odendaal

After three years of racing close to the front in the FIM Endurance World Championship, South African Steven Odendaal has joined the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team to bid for EWC title glory alongside team-mates Sylvain Guintoli, Markus Reiterberger and reserve rider Hannes Soomer.

The 32-year-old from Johannesburg – runner-up in the 2021 FIM Supersport World Championship and the Bol d’Or winner in 2022 – took time out of his preparations for the 2025 season to answer five key questions.

It’s a team you’ve spent the last three years trying to beat and now you’re part of BMW Motorrad Motorsport. How did the move come about?
“It’s a very funny story. There were a lot of rumours in the paddock that the team I was with would close their doors, so this was my moment to understand that I needed to change teams if I wanted to stay in the EWC. I decided to send my CV through to BMW just in case because my dad always told me that if you don’t buy your lottery ticket you can never expect to win the lottery. Three weeks later I was on a golf course and I hit my ball into the bushes. I went to look for it and I found a BMW Pro V1 golf ball. I was like, ‘wow, maybe this is a sign’. Exactly three hours later I got a phone call from BMW saying, ‘please don’t sign with anyone else, we want you’. I knew from that moment that it was destiny to be with the BMW team.”

Why do you think they chose you?
“Last year I performed really well and was happy with my performance and consistency. They said the same after going through all the data, the times, the in and out laps, the consistency throughout the season, and my name came out on top, so they chose me specifically from a performance point of view. This gives me a lot of confidence because I know I can be one of the top riders in the EWC and now, with a top package, with a top team and top tyres I think we can be really competitive this season.”

In terms of the team’s success, what can you personally contribute?
“I have some valuable experience. I know how to win an EWC 24-hour race, I believe that endurance suits my riding style. Consistency is the key in endurance riding and I have proven that this is one of my strengths. I am a team player and this is also one of the key ingredients. I am not an egoistic rider, I am happy to help my team-mates and work together because I look at the bigger picture, I know I need my team-mates just as much as they need me. I always analyse my past experience to bring myself forward, to make myself a better rider.”

What are your goals for your first season with BMW Motorrad Motorsport?
“We want to win this championship. We want to bring it home for BMW, for all the guys putting in countless hours in the workshop. I’m very excited to be with such experienced riders with proven talent to pursue this goal. I know I’m strong myself and I believe it’s going to be a power package. If we add all the ingredients together, I can only see one outcome.”

Based on the testing you’ve done, what are your impressions of the team and of the bike?
“I’m really happy with my new team-mates. I feel at home already, it is important to feel welcome. The bike is very nice and everything and more than I expected from a factory bike. It is time to get the season started, let’s go.”

The 24 Heures Motos forms the opening round of the four-event 2025 EWC season from 17-20 April. Ticket information is available HERE.