Marc VDS founder Marc van der Straten has died, aged 78
A Belgian enthusiast who turned a passion into a racing dynasty
Motorsport has lost one of its great enthusiasts. Marc van der Straten, the Belgian entrepreneur who founded the Marc VDS racing team, has died at the age of 78, passing away peacefully at his home in Switzerland on 5 July. He leaves behind a team, and a legacy, that touched almost every corner of the sport.
From a family of racers
Born in 1948, van der Straten inherited his competitive streak from his father, himself a former racing driver. He channelled that passion into founding the Marc VDS Racing Team, based in Gosselies in Belgium, an operation that would grow from an enthusiast's project into one of the most respected privateer squads in world motorsport.
Success on four wheels
Marc VDS made its name first in cars, competing in GT and endurance racing. The team won the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2011 and took overall victory in the 2015 24 Hours of Spa, the crown jewel of Belgian racing held on the very circuit where Porsche's Lionspeed squad just won this year's 24 Hours of Spa. Its motorsport DNA lives on today through VDS Panis Racing, which won the 2025 European Le Mans Series in LMP2, part of the same thriving endurance scene that will see Silverstone return to the WEC calendar in 2027.
Then he conquered two wheels
In 2010 van der Straten took the bold step of expanding into motorcycle racing, and it is there that Marc VDS reached its greatest heights. The team won three Moto2 world championships, with Tito Rabat in 2014, Franco Morbidelli in 2017 and Alex Marquez in 2019, and also raced in MotoGP, Moto3, MotoE, endurance and World Superbikes. Across all its categories, Marc VDS racked up more than 100 podium finishes, an extraordinary record for a privateer outfit.
More than a team
For all the silverware, those who knew van der Straten remember the man and the culture he built. In its tribute, the team said it simply: "Marc VDS is not just a team. It's a family." He was known for his genuine dedication to helping young talent chase their racing dreams, driven by passion rather than pure business, and that spirit became the organisation's hallmark.
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This is a genuinely sad day, and a significant loss for Belgian motorsport in particular. To build a team that could win the 24 Hours of Spa, take a GT1 world title and then conquer Moto2 as well is a staggering achievement, the mark of someone who loved racing in every form it comes. What stands out, though, is that so many tributes talk about family rather than trophies. That tells you the kind of man Marc van der Straten was. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and everyone at Marc VDS. The paddock is a poorer place without him.
