A Hungarian–Belgian collaboration will compete in this year’s FIM Endurance World Championship, with two Hungarian riders and a strong technical team aiming for a top-three finish in the standings.
The Champion HERT by MRP Racing outfit will feature Hungarian riders Bálint Kovács and Máté Számadó, joined by Germany’s Jan Bühn and Belgium’s Loris Cresson. The team has set ambitious goals for the season, targeting a podium position in the teams’ championship within the highly competitive superstock category.
The partnership between the Hungarian HERT team and Belgium’s MRP Racing also brings significant Hungarian expertise into the paddock. Engineers and mechanics from Hungary, many trained at the Hungarian Motorcycle Technical School (MAMI) and domestic race engineering programmes, will play a key role in the team’s operations. Their work has already earned recognition at the world championship level.
Kovács, one of Hungary’s most experienced endurance riders, expressed confidence ahead of the season, stating that he expects to add to his previous successes, which include a category victory and an overall third-place finish. He highlighted the addition of an on-site performance coach as an important factor in improving results.
Számadó also enters the season with familiarity, having previously worked with MRP Racing when he substituted for Kovács during a race. He said the existing relationship with both the team and the Hungarian technical staff provides a strong foundation for the upcoming campaign.
MRP Racing owner Werner Daemen emphasized the strength of the collaboration, noting that the team has worked with Kovács for years in the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM). He also praised the Hungarian engineers, whose performance has been acknowledged by BMW. According to Daemen, the combined effort is expected to build on past successes and further strengthen the team’s competitiveness.
The endurance championship calendar will feature four major events, including two 24-hour and two eight-hour races. The season opens on 18 April with the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans in Le Mans. This will be followed by an eight-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps on 6 June, and another eight-hour event in Suzuka on 5 July. The season concludes with the prestigious Bol d’Or at the Circuit Paul Ricard on 19 September.
Competing in the superstock class, the Hungarian–Belgian team will look to translate its international cooperation and technical expertise into strong results across one of motorsport’s most demanding disciplines.
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