Marc van der Straten died earlier today at his home in Switzerland at the age of 78.
The Belgian entrepreneur leaves quite a legacy in the sport that was his lifelong passion on two wheels and four.
He will remain a reigning Champion in the ELMS until the end of the 2026 season after his backing for the title-winning VDS Panis Racing squad took the overall title in 2025.
His backing features again this season in GT World Challenge aboard the Boutsen VDS squad’s efforts, where again he remains a reigning Champion, having scored Silver Cup success in the GT World Challenge Europe.
Those campaigns marked a return to four-wheeled competition after Marc VDS walked away at the end of 2015 in a run that started with the quirky Gillet Vertigo and went on to include GT racing efforts in GT3, GTE and GT1 with BMW and Ford machinery.
There was also an ill-starred effort to homologate an extreme version of the then-current Ford Mustang platform for GT3 that fell foul of homologation regulations.
That yielded race wins in all three classes, a Teams Championship in the Blancpain Endurance Cup in 2013, a famous Spa 24 win in 2015 and second-place finishes at the Nurburgring 24 (twice) and in LMP2 at Le Mans last year.
There were efforts in the NASCAR Euroseries and in the Dakar Rally, too, along the way.
The Marc VDS Racing Team had an international reputation on two wheels too, with efforts in Moto GP, Moto2 and MotoE. The team clinched three Moto2 World titles for Tito Rabat, Franco Morbidelli, and Alex Marquez. The team continues to compete in the World Superbike Championship, where the team scored its latest over 100 podium finishes at the World Championship level just a few weeks ago.
His own team paid the following tribute:
“Beyond being the boss, Marc was a larger-than-life character whose signature chequered flat cap made him instantly recognisable all around the globe.
Winning was special to him, but so was his quest for excellence both on and off the track. Marc VDS isn’t just a team. It’s a family. And one of his great pleasures in life was seeing that family thrive and succeed through hard work and dedication.
Marc created memories that will last forever. And we will never forget him and what he contributed to helping so many chase and fulfil their dreams in a truly remarkable life.
Olivier Panis told DSC post-race at Imola as the news broke in the paddock:
“He was a very special guy and took so much pleasure in racing, and in being part of the team’s success and in particular the success of our young drivers. He loved racing, and we loved having him with us. His passing is a real shock. I saw him very recently (at the Spa 24 Hours), and he was his usual happy self.
“I am delighted that we could bring him a title last year and that we raced so hard with him too at Le Mans, where we almost took the win too – He loved that race, and we will treasure our memories together.”
The SRO Motorsports Group issued the following tribute:
“SRO Motorsports Group is shocked and saddened to learn of Marc van der Straten’s passing at the age of 78.
“A true racer until the very end, the cars that bore his name – and modern-day iconic livery – are indelibly linked with GT racing’s growth over the past two decades.
“His passion for the sport was also undeniable. What began with a Gillet Vertigo Belcar entry eventually morphed into FIA GT1 World Championship success with Ford before the Marc VDS BMW partnership delivered a Blancpain GT Series title and 24 Hours of Spa victory for the Z4 GT3.
“A lengthy sportscar hiatus followed, albeit one spent racing – and winning – at the pinnacle of two-wheeled competition, before the Marc VDS Racing name and colours returned to the GT3 arena in 2024.
“Ever competitive, a Boutsen VDS Porsche finished eighth overall at the world’s biggest GT race just seven days ago.
“All those at SRO extend their sincere and heartfelt condolences to Marc’s family and members of the Boutsen VDS team at this sad time. His legacy will not be forgotten.”
Frédéric Lequien, Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM) CEO:
“It is with sadness that today we have lost a member of the ELMS family. Marc was passionate about motor racing and as a team owner he won championships on both four and two wheels. Last season he was part of the VDS Panis Racing effort that saw the team and drivers crowned as ELMS LPM2 Champions.
“His passion for the sport will be missed by everyone who had the pleasure to meet him and on behalf of the ELMS paddock, we send our condolences to the Van Der Straten family, friends and loved ones.”
All at DSC echo those thoughts and send our best wishes to the van der Straten family, the teams closest to Marc, and the galaxy of friends he had across motorsport and beyond.
