With a solid international career and full of experience in top-level championships, Steven Odendaal has become one of the main contenders for the Spanish Superbike Championship (ESBK) title this season. The South African rider faces the next two rounds of the series, which will be held at the Circuit de Navarra (from July 17 to 20 and from August 28 to 31), from the second position in the general standings but tied on points with the leader, the tragically deceased Borja Gómez.
Born on March 2, 1993 in Johannesburg, Odendaal is an old acquaintance in the international paddock. His career took a big leap forward in 2016, when he was proclaimed European Moto2 champion, a title that today is part of the prestigious FIM JuniorGP World Championship. That conquest was just the beginning of an upward trajectory that took him to the MotoGP World Championship, where he competed in the Moto2 class in 2018 and 2019. Later, he moved to the Supersport World Championship, within the WorldSBK environment, where he quickly demonstrated his ability to adapt and speed.
His most outstanding stage in Supersport came in 2021, when he signed for the legendary Evan Bros Racing Team. At the controls of his Yamaha, Odendaal won the first three races of the championship, consolidating himself as one of the favorites from the first moment. That experience has given him a competitive maturity that he now transfers to ESBK, where he is signing an outstanding season, with six podiums, out of a possible six.
In 2025, Steven combines his participation in the ESBK with the FIM EWC World Endurance Championship, a combination that tests his physical and mental endurance, and demonstrates the level of commitment of the South African rider. In the national championship, he remains firm in the fight for the championship, accumulating the same points as the leader Borja Gómez, who continues to lead the classification after his tragic death on July 3 in Magny-Cours. The memory of Borja is very present throughout the paddock, and also in the mind of Odendaal, who does not hide his respect for the talent of the young Spaniard and his intention to honour his memory for the rest of the season.
The Circuit of Navarra, with its technical layout and its unpredictable weather in summer, will be a key stage to define the course of the championship. The two consecutive rounds there could be a turning point in the standings, and Odendaal is fully aware of the importance of maintaining consistency, minimising mistakes and knowing how to manage pressure.
In this decisive phase of the championship, we spoke to Steven Odendaal, who shared with us his vision of the season, the Navarrese track and his short-term goals:
How would you rate your season so far?:
The start of the season has been very good, we have changed manufacturers, last year I raced with Yamaha and this year I do it with BMW. It's been a very positive change for both me and the team, I'm getting more and more confident with the bike.
What do you think of the Circuit of Navarra and the fact that two ESBK races are held there?:
I'm very happy that two rounds of the championship will be held at the Circuit de Navarra because I really like the track. I made the podium in World Supersport and won two races last year, it's a really fun circuit that I'm looking forward to coming back to. It has fast curves, slow curves, slopes... You really need a good tune-up. It will be my first time there with the BMW.
What expectations do you have for both tests?:
My expectations are to try to take two podiums. It's a circuit that I love, who knows, maybe we'll also take the number one.
With an impressive curriculum; two wins, two seconds and two third positions, in his last performances in the championship, unquestionably Steven Odendaal arrives in Navarra with the confidence of someone who knows what it is to win. The South African is ready to fight for the top in one of the most intense and emotional moments of the ESBK season.