A last-minute rule change in the 2024 SuperEnduro opening round meant that electric motorcycles could not compete. This change came 22 hours before the technical inspection. Stark had six-time champion Tadeusz Blazusiak ready to race and written confirmation from the FIM that the Varg could compete. Well, in what feels like a bully revenge story, it only took Stark two years to get its own back.
Stark made history and secured the 2026 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Manufacturers’ Title, marking the first time an electric motorcycle manufacturer has won the title. Throughout the season, Stark’s Varg EX competed against the established manufacturers and the best riders the sport has to offer, namely, 6-time SuperEnduro World Championship title holder, Billy Bolt, who took the Prestige World Championship title again this year.
Although Stark missed out on having a rider take home a medal at the end of the championship, Eddie Karlsson delivered a strong and consistent campaign aboard the Stark VARG EX, finishing the championship 4th overall. To the best of my knowledge, no brand has ever won the SuperEnduro Manufacturers’ Title without having a rider take home gold, silver, or bronze at the end of the championship. In fact, Stark didn’t win any races in the Prestige class, but its riders always finished high and reliably earned points.
Sebastien Tortelli, Stark Racing Director, was deeply moved by the brand’s success, saying, “The hard work and dedication of the team in Barcelona, particularly in developing the VARG, have been instrumental in making this possible. This victory is also deeply meaningful to me on a personal level. Just two and a half years ago, here at this same event, we were turned away from racing the series. Since then, we have worked tirelessly along with the FIM and Promoter to make this happen, always applying our company philosophy and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. It hasn’t been easy, but to now achieve our first FIM World Championship at the same event 2 years later is an incredible and deeply rewarding achievement.”
Whether this is a passing-of-the-torch moment remains to be seen. We could very well be at the start of the electric off-road revolution. All eyes are on Stark going forward.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Rideapart.com?
– The RideApart Team
