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.
The BMW M Award was presented for the 14th time in 2016. BMW M Division, long-term partner of MotoGP organizer 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.
“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.
