The Superenduro World Championship has announced that, from this year’s edition, electric motors will be allowed to compete in the elite category, albeit with some restrictions. As a result, six-time world champion Taddy Błażusiak will return to the series.
A landmark change has been announced on the official website of the World Super Enduro Championship. For this year’s 2024-25 edition, it will be possible to compete with electric motors. Last year, this innovation was scrapped, but for this season it has been given the green light after the FIM, the UP Agency as the new promoter of the series and the leading electric motor manufacturers agreed on the conditions.
True, this comes with some restrictions. For the time being, only the Prestige, the elite category, will be allowed to use these engines, but that’s the least they can do. For these machines, an Open subcategory has been created, but unlike the former MotoGP system, this does not mean discounts, but on the contrary, extra weight and power restrictions. Enduro21 understands that the maximum power limit is 48 horsepower and the minimum weight limit is 123 kilograms.
One of the benefits of this is the return to the series after a one-year hiatus of the sport’s legend Taddy Błażusiak, who won the Superenduro World Championship and its predecessor six times in a row between the 2009-10 and 2014-15 seasons. The Polish rider will ride a Stark VARG, having signed with Stark Future Racing last year, but was ultimately denied entry to the electric machines. His teammate will be Swedish rider Eddie Karlsson.
“I am extremely happy that we have the green light to compete,” said the 41-year-old. – We’ve made the most of last year in terms of engine development and we’re in a good position. Of course we don’t know exactly where we stand compared to the others, but we were competitive in some of the pre-season races. Unfortunately, we are being slowed down in terms of performance and we are being loaded with an insane amount of weight, which doesn’t really fit the spirit of the Open category, but we will take the challenge and do our best, that’s for sure.”
Electric motorcycles will not be the only innovation in the next edition of the World Super Enduro Championship. In fact, the 2024-25 season will see the introduction of the World Youth Championship, which will be open to participants aged 14 to 18, who will be able to ride 125cc bikes. The field in this category will be present at all venues, as in the Prestige and Junior World Championships.
This means that the Hungarian public will also be able to see these talented youngsters. Budapest will be hosting the series again this year, with the Superenduro GP of Hungary being the fifth round of the championship on 8 February. Tickets have also recently gone on sale, with tickets available on the Superenduro.hu website.
