BMW Motorrad UK has restructured its motorsports lineup for the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship, as 2024 IDM Superbike champion Ilya Mikhalchik joins FHO Racing, alongside the introduction of new team 8TEN Racing to the series.

For the 2025 season, FHO Racing will compete in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship with a one-rider team on board an M 1000 RR. 2024 IDM Superbike champion and World Endurance rider Ilya Mikhalchik makes his debut in the series, as team owner Faye Ho realigns the team's efforts to pursue further motorsports activities in new markets with BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s support.

Faye Ho, now in her fifth-year in the British Superbike paddock, has provided a strong presence in the Superbike class, and alongside the superbike team offers continued support and investment to a number of young women in the racing paddock seeking to progress their racing careers through numerous British Championship support classes, most recently Kate Walker and Jamie Hanks-Elliott in the BMW F 900 R Cup.

Faye Ho comments: “I am a strong advocate of the British Superbike Championship, one of the most entertaining and competitive series in the world. However, with my long-term goals looking to push motorsports activities in Asia, as well as to keep supporting young women with opportunities in racing, I’ve come to realise I cannot fully commit to the previous levels of time that I have given to BSB and Road Racing since becoming team owner in 2021 with additional commitments I have back at home in Macau. With the support of BMW Motorrad Motorsport, and my continued passion for BSB, we have altered our approach to run a one-rider team for the 2025 season, with the very talented Ilya Mikhalchik joining us as current IDM Superbike champion and I am excited to see what he can achieve.”   

This has provided BMW Motorrad UK the opportunity to strengthen their presence in the British Superbike Championship, with new team 8TEN Racing running fully-supported M 1000 RR machinery with Peter Hickman and Davey Todd. The pair will compete in both British Superbikes and Road Racing campaigns, as both riders look to continue their recent successes on board the M 1000 RR. The current Isle of Man TT lap record holder, Hickman, and 2024 National Superstock Champion, Todd, have extensive experience with BMW, and will benefit from running the all-new M 1000 RR in 2025 to maximise their potential for success.

Scott Grimsdall, BMW Motorrad UK Head of Marketing & PR said: “Having supported FHO Racing since 2021, we have witnessed Faye’s passion for motorcycle racing, and have shared notable successes and records at the Isle of Man TT. Faye continues to receive the support of BMW Motorrad as she looks at wider motorsports opportunities internationally. The opportunity to introduce a rider of Ilya’s calibre to the championship, alongside the setup of an all-new team, with the calibre of Pete and Davey, manages to provide us with excellent strength and rider quality across multiple teams for both British Superbike and Road Racing efforts.”

Bennetts British Superbike Series Director Stuart Higgs added: “I visited BMW Welt in Munich last December and had the opportunity to take a tour of the impressive facility and meet the BMW Motorrad Motorsport executive and management team. Since then an opportunity arose to evolve the structure of their UK domestic racing activity. Ilya Mikhalchik is a multiple IDM Superbike Champion and FIM Endurance World Championship race winner with BMW Motorrad and will be a fantastic International addition to the BSB grid with Faye’s established FHO Racing team. We will also continue to see seven-time BSB race winner Peter Hickman and reigning National Superstock Champion Davey Todd line-up under the new 8TEN Racing team banner when the season gets underway in April, strengthening BMW Motorrad’s presence in the series.”

The official team announcement of 8TEN Racing will be on February 26th, ahead of the first Bennetts British Superbike official tests in April.

The 2024 season of Team Gresini Racing MotoGP was an extraordinary one, not only for the excitement delivered on the track, but also due to the partnerships with our sponsors.
Thanks to the analysis performed by Camaleonic Analytics – a Spanish company specialised in sponsorship analysis and also an official partner of the International Racing Team Association (IRTA) – we can now measure with precision the value of our mediatic exposure within the MotoGP World Championship.

The numbers speak for themselves:
✅ 21 hours and 49 minutes of visibility for Gream Gresini Racing MotoGP (3rd best among the MotoGP teams for exposure time) 
✅ 48 hours and 56 minutes of overall visibility for our sponsors 
✅ € 444.142.144 of value generated for the partners through our mediatic exposure

These impressive numbers mirrored our on-track performance: 4 wins (one of which in a sprint race), 21 podiums and the 3^rd place overall in the championship standings (Marc Marquez) as well as a third place in the teams’ standings (courtesy also to Alex Marquez’s eighth-place in the final standings)

AN EVER-GROWING SPONSORSHIP NETWORK
2024 set a new record also in terms of partnerships: 31 companies have chosen to give their support to Gresini Racing’s MotoGP project. It was a worldwide movement, with a special focus on Europe and Southeast Asia. 
But it is not just about numbers: the real value lies in the longevity of said partnership. The sponsorship average duration with our current partners is of 6,9 years, which shows a relationship based on trust, tangible results and shared goals. 

CARLO MERLINI – GRESINI RACING COMMERCIAL AND MARKETING DIRECTOR
“The collaborations with our most loyal partners occupy a very important role within Gresini Racing. The sponsors are our biggest fans as they and are an integral part of the team and in every way a part of what we like to call the Gresini Family. Historical sponsors, which have been on board for a long time, and new ones, who joined to form a pool of extremely high-level, but especially a group of passionate entrepreneurs. They are our true heritage and we’re proud to have paid back the trust they placed in us with on-track results, but also with the numbers from the exposure reports that have been provided to us.”

The British Motor Museum is to launch a new Young Artists Competition to celebrate the opening of the exhibition, The Gallery 2025. This exclusive contest with the theme ‘The car and the environment’ gives young artists with a passion for automotive art, the rare chance to display their work at the Museum.

There are three age categories for entry: under 11s, 12-16 years, and 17-20 years with one winner per category. Entries open on Thursday 6 February and close on Monday 28 April, giving interested applicants February Half-Term and the Easter holidays to perfect their masterpieces. The winning artwork will go on display in the Museum from Thursday 29 May - Friday 27 June as part of The Gallery 2025 exhibition. The winning artists will each receive a half day workshop with an esteemed artist featured in the exhibition, getting tips on everything from how to set the scene for their next artwork to how to succeed with art as a career. The generous sponsor of the prize is Peter Mitchell, Patron of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. The winner of each age category will also receive £50 worth of art vouchers, thanks to a generous donation from LifewithArt.

The Gallery 2025 exhibition will open on Friday 4 April featuring a combination of paintings and sculptural pieces. The Gallery 2025 is a continuing collaboration with Historic Car Art and will showcase some of the UK’s most talented automotive artists including John Ketchell, Keith Woodcock, Emma Capener, Jonny Ambrose, Oliver Ray and Steve Goodwin. There will be ‘live art’ taking place where the artists continue their artwork at the Museum for visitors to see. The artists work with a variety of media, including acrylics, oil, watercolour, pen, and pastels.

Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum, said, "It's going to be an exciting few months for artists of all ages. The Young Artists Competition is a wonderful way to encourage artists of the future and help them begin to fulfil their creative potential. Displaying their artwork alongside established artists is an enormous opportunity and the winning artworks will add to an already stunning range in the upcoming exhibition, The Gallery 2025."

Rupert Whyte, Historic Car Art owner, said “We are pleased to be working alongside the British Motor Museum for a third year to curate an exhibition of motoring art celebrating the depth of talent amongst British automotive artists. Each year we introduce new artists to the exhibition and 2025 will be no exception”. 

The Young Artists Competition will be judged by a returning panel, including Rupert Whyte, owner of Historic Car Art, and Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum. 

Access to the exhibition is included with standard Museum admission tickets. Museum entry is just £46 for a family of 4 in advance or £52 on the day, £17 per adult in advance or £20 on the day, £15 for concessions in advance or £18 on the day, £9 for children (5-16 years) in advance or £10 on the day and under 5s are FREE. You can choose to donate your entry fee and get an Annual Pass in return at no extra cost and there is also the option to Gift Aid your donation. Being a Gift Aid visitor makes a big difference to the British Motor Museum. To find out more information about the exhibition and the Young Artists Competition, please visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/explore/the-gallery

One of the most highly anticipated British motorcycling events is back for 2025. The International Classic MotorCycle Show sponsored by Carole Nash is returning once more to Staffordshire County Showground on April 26-27, 2025. A cornerstone event for classic bike enthusiasts, the show promises an unforgettable weekend of bikes, trade and as always, a few motorcycling legends!

• The purest trade stands and autojumble stalls from around the UK, perfect for sourcing rare parts, spares, and memorabilia.
• Stunning displays from leading motorcycle clubs, showcasing the best in classic bike preservation and restoration.
• Live entertainment all weekend perfect for the whole family.
• On-stage talks and interviews with Henry Cole and other guests

Mortons Media Group Ltd is delighted to announce that Carole Nash, one of the UK’s leading motorcycle insurance brokers, has renewed its sponsorship of the two Stafford Classic Bike Shows for an additional three years.