Exactly one year ago, Hungary’s first national long-distance speed motorcycle racing team, HERT by Moto Jungle Racing (Hungarian Endurance Racing Team), debuted at the AMTS (Auto-Motor and Tuning Show). The team, composed solely of Hungarian riders and professionals, has set the ambitious goal of participating in the last round of the endurance world championship (FIM EWC) at the legendary Bol d’Or 24-hour race. Last year’s debut was successful, and HERT made its mark in the annals of long-distance motorcycle racing.
This year, they will compete in all the European races of the championship series (Le Mans, Spa, Le Castellet). The composition of the team has not changed significantly. Team manager is Gábor Rizmayer, technical director is Károly Lévai, and team leader is László Horváth.
The riders are Bálint Kovács, Soma Görbe, Máté Számadó, and Dávid Juhász. All four were part of last year’s lineup, with Dávid serving as a reserve rider back then. The racing motorcycle also remains unchanged, as they will tackle the challenges aboard a BMW M1000RR.
The team’s strategic partner is the ZalaZONE Automotive Proving Ground, which has joined the team not only as a sponsor but also as a development platform.
The first race will take place at Le Mans on April 19, but the team has already started its journey to the legendary French track for the first official testing a week ago.
The Moto Jungle Racing Hungarian Endurance Team and BMW made already headlines, as they managed to secure second place in the first of four free practice sessions, finishing first in the other three.
Their pilot, Bálint Kovács, completed a lap that was even acknowledged on the FIM Endurance World Championship’s Facebook page.
The Hungarian team will soon get to prove itself in a real competition, as the 24-hour race will kick off in two weeks, with the Moto Jungle Racing M 1000 RR on the starting grid. The team’s goal is to successfully complete the 24-hour race.
Congratulations to the team on their outstanding results so far, and we wish them continued success in their racing endeavors!
Facts about EWC:
The FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) is a long-distance racing series that began in 1980 and is governed by the international federation, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). The 2025 season of the EWC consists of two 24-hour races and two 8-hour races.
2025 FIM EWC race calendar:
• April 19–20, 2025: 24 Heures Motos, Le Mans, France
• June 7, 2025: 8 Hours of Spa Motos, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
• August 3, 2025: Suzuka 8 Hours, Suzuka Circuit, Japan
• September 20–21, 2025: Bol d’Or, Circuit Paul Ricard, France
Teams compete in the Formula EWC and Superstock categories in the endurance championship, with HERT participating in the latter.
A special feature of the EWC races is the spectacular standing start, where riders line up on one side of the track and then sprint to their motorcycles lined up on the other side before jumping on and heading toward the first corner. It is important that the motorcycles maintain a general appearance that does not deviate from the series model, and Superstock motorcycles must weigh at least 175 kilograms.
Endurance races are not solely about speed; they are also about endurance, presenting a significant challenge since participants must be not only fast but also reliably durable throughout the 8 to 24-hour races.