Marc VDS Racing Team

Marc VDS Racing Team
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Name	Marc VDS Racing Team
Founded	2009
Principal	Marc VDS
Base	Belgium

Marc VDS Racing Team is a Belgian professional motorsport organization founded by Marc van der Straten in 2009, competing across motorcycle and automobile championships including MotoGP, Moto2, Superbike World Championship, FIA World Endurance Championship, 24 Hours of Le Mans, Blancpain GT Series, European Le Mans Series and TCR International Series. The team has campaigned machinery from manufacturers such as Kalex, Suter, BMW, Ford, Audi, Lamborghini, Yamaha, and Honda. Its operations have connected notable figures from Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo, to endurance specialists like Earl Bamber, Gianmaria Bruni, and Bill Auberlen.

History

Founded by Belgian racing patron Marc van der Straten after the closure of Team LCR-era ventures, the organization debuted in Moto2 with a focus on developing riders linked to Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, Grand Prix motorcycle racing feeder series, and European championships. Early partnerships included chassis suppliers Suter, FTR, and later Kalex, while automotive collaborations extended to W Racing Team, Belgian Audi Club operations, and factory-supported programs with BMW M GmbH and Ford Performance. The team expanded from two-wheel competition into four-wheel programs at events such as the 24 Hours of Spa, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Intercontinental GT Challenge, evolving through management changes, sponsorships from SRI Sports Group-linked entities, and alliances with rider development projects tied to VR46 Riders Academy and Dorna Sports initiatives.

Motorcycle Racing

Marc VDS established itself in Moto2 with riders graduating from series like the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and CEV Moto2 Championship. The squad claimed the Moto2 World Championship in 2014 with Esteve "Tito" Rabat aboard a Kalex chassis, defeating competitors from AGR Team, Tech 3, Forward Racing, and Pons Racing. The team later contested MotoGP with Honda and Kalex-derived machinery, fielding riders with experience from Moto3 World Championship and 125cc World Championship categories. In Supersport World Championship and Superbike World Championship programs, Marc VDS ran Yamaha and Honda machinery against outfits such as Kawasaki Racing Team, Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team, and KRT while recruiting talent from British Superbike Championship and national series like Belgian Road Racing Championship.

Auto Racing (GT, Endurance & Touring)

In sports car racing, Marc VDS contested GT and prototype events including FIA World Endurance Championship classes and the European Le Mans Series using entries for models from Ford, Audi, BMW, and Lamborghini. The team campaigned in marquee races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Spa, and Bathurst 12 Hour, competing against factory teams from Porsche AG, Aston Martin, Mercedes-AMG, and Ferrari N.V.. Marc VDS participated in Blancpain Endurance Series (later GT World Challenge Europe) and Intercontinental GT Challenge with drivers from DTM, IMSA, and Supercars Championship, and collaborated with outfits like Prodrive, Rowe Racing, Team WRT, and JOTA Sport for logistics, engineering, and development programs.

Notable Riders and Drivers

The roster has included Grand Prix and sports car figures such as Esteve "Tito" Rabat, Scott Redding, Bradley Smith, Stefan Bradl, Cal Crutchlow, Mike Di Meglio, Alex Marquez, Francesco Bagnaia, Álex Márquez (note: not linked redundantly), Earl Bamber, Gianmaria Bruni, Stéphane Ortelli, Romain Grosjean, Tom Chilton, Yvan Muller, Henry Surtees (historical influence), Jules Bianchi (contextual era), Sam Lowes, Franco Morbidelli, Ruben Xaus, Simon Andrews, Anthony West, Mika Kallio, and endurance specialists such as Nick Catsburg and Richard Westbrook. Collaborations and test roles invoked connections with figures from MotoGP such as Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Márquez, and touring specialists affiliated with BMW Team RBM and Ford Chip Ganassi Racing programs.

Team Structure and Operations

Operational headquarters in Belgium coordinated engineering, logistics, and rider development with satellite facilities in Spain, Italy, and United Kingdom to interface with circuits like Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Circuit de Catalunya, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, and Silverstone Circuit. Technical staff have included engineers and crew with backgrounds at Ducati Corse, Repsol Honda Team, Yamaha Factory Racing, BMW Motorsport, and Aston Martin Racing, while management liaised with sanctioning bodies such as Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. The team’s logistics drew on partnerships with transport firms and tyre suppliers including Pirelli, Michelin, and Dunlop, and sponsorships from European corporations and racing stakeholders like TotalEnergies, Shell, and Red Bull GmbH-linked enterprises for talent pipelines.

Major Results and Championships

Highlights include the 2014 Moto2 World Championship riders' title with Esteve "Tito" Rabat and race victories across Moto2 World Championship seasons against rivals from Marc VDS contemporaries such as Kalex-equipped teams and manufacturers like Suter and FTR. In sports car racing, podiums at the 24 Hours of Spa and class results at 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship rounds placed the team among competitors like Team Manthey-Racing, Peugeot Sport, Toyota Gazoo Racing, and Audi Sport Team Joest. Successes in Blancpain GT Series and national GT championships featured wins versus Akka ASP Team, HTP Motorsport, Strakka Racing, and GT3 entries from major constructors, contributing to Marc VDS’s reputation as a multi-discipline competitor and talent incubator for riders and drivers progressing to MotoGP, WEC, and international GT competition.

Category:Motorcycle racing teams Category:Auto racing teams