Mitja Borgelt: Small family team, strong results in the Stock European Championship

Since it became a stand-alone championship in the MotoJunior paddock (after racing alongside the Moto2 European Championship previously), the Stock European Championship has seen on track talented rising stars. The series fielded many interesting riders in 2026 as well, and one of them is Mitja Borgelt.

Born in 2009 in Gütersloh (less than 60 km away from Münster), Borgelt had a challenging start to his season, but he later managed to turn the season around and he even reached the top 5 at Valencia, to later finish 3rd (also due to some penalties to other riders) at Motorland Aragon. Such results are already valuable for him, being a rookie at this level, but they become even more meaningful if we consider that the German rider is racing for the Ravenol Motorsport by Planam team, a very small squad (maximum four people in total) led by his father Dominik.

Palmen in Motorradsport had the chance to interview Mitja Borgelt, to know more about him and his story.

Mitja, how was your 2026 season?

The start of the season wasn't too bad, but it then went in a wrong direction. I was with a Spanish team (PS Racing Team, ed). We had some pretty good tests, but then I wasn't very happy with the first race of the season in Barcelona. We had some miscommunication within the team, and I had a very difficult time. I also started having arm pump. Later, I couldn't start at the second round in Estoril, and after that the team and I parted ways. I didn't have a seat for the rest of the season, so we decided to build our own team. We made some pretty good progress at every race weekend, until even scoring our first podium at Motorland Aragon. I'm really happy with how things have gone.

Your team is pretty small, isn't it?

It's my dad, my data mechanic Marco and another mechanic who works on the suspension, but the latter wasn't with us in Misano. It's a very small team, but I've known my data mechanic since I started racing minibikes in 2021, so we have a pretty good connection and he knows exactly what I want from the bike. Moreover, my dad prepares the bike really well, so I have no excuses with them around.

Do you already know your plans for 2027?

I'd like to move up to the Moto2 European Championship, but it's much more expensive. Another option would be the Supersport World Championship, but I will turn 18 only at the end of May 2027, so it will be late to make my debut in that season. Nothing is decided yet, but I'll probably spend another year in the Stock European Championship.

Let's now take a step back. How did you begin racing motorcycles?

I started when I was four. My grandpa lived in a farm, so I got on a motocross bike when I was four and rode around in circles. I also competed in motocross for one season when I was eight, but then I stopped racing completely for two or three years. After that, a friend of my dad's who raced pit bikes came to visit us in Germany, and I tried riding that pit bike. I had a lot of fun, and from there I gradually got to where I am today.

And what can you say abour your first seasons in motorcycle racing?

I first started on minibikes, but then I moved to the Yamaha R3 Cup in Germany in 2022. The step from minibikes to the 300cc was difficult, but my dad helped me a lot: he was a rider himself in the past, so he showed me how I had to ride that bike. The start was difficult, but I later got a good feeling on the bike and we were quite strong (he scored one race win and three podiums, finishing second in the standings, ed). Later I raced in the IDM Supersport 300 and then I moved to the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup. However, I grew a lot physically and it was almost impossible to keep up with the front guys because of my height. Consider that now my height is 1.88 metres...

Too tall for the Supersport 300.

Definitely. That's why in 2025 I moved to the 600cc bikes and went racing in the Alpe Adria Championship, also trying to take it more like a hobby and see if potential was there. And it worked out pretty well, because I won the championship and now I am in the MotoJunior paddock.

Have you had any particularly challenging periods in your career so far?

I would say the beginning of 2026 was probably the most challenging period so far in my life. I moved to Spain in September 2025 and there I trained really hard throughout the winter. However, the season started and none of my effort seemed to pay off. I had issues with the team and problems with arm pump, and I couldn't ride the way I wanted to. When you move to another country, live away from your family, train all winter and then you race only to find that nothing is going your way, you start to feel as you've moved abroad for nothing.

I was more than frustrated, and keeping my motivation up at the start of the 2026 season was probably the toughest part of my racing career so far.

Do you still live in Spain?

Yes. I live in a sports centre with other athletes, although none of them are motorcycle racers. I also have a roommate. There are facilities where I can train, including a gym, and I have a coach as well: Adrián Cases. With Adrián, I go riding my motorbike five times a week. He has plenty of knowledge and also trained Pedro Acosta in the past, so he can share a lot of experience and information with me, which really helps.

How was it getting used to life in Spain?

At first, not knowing the language, it was quite tough. I also went straight into a Spanish school, so I couldn't understand everything and I also failed the first year. But this year I passed my first Spanish exam, so I'm gradually getting used to it. In general, though, I think the hardest part is not living with my family. Apart from that, I like living in Spain: the weather is good, you can train all year long and people are nice.

Your dad is running your racing team, but how does your mum feel about your passion for racing?

She's quite happy that I am doing circuit racing rather than motocross, since it's a bit less likely that I get injured. Sometimes she comes to the races too. I think she's always a bit worried, but my sister does horse riding professionally, and that's quite dangerous too. Therefore, I guess she can't argue too much about me doing motorcycle racing.

You spend plenty of time training and studying. Do you have time for any hobbies?

I don't have many hobbies. One could be cycling, but it's part of my preparation for racing, so it maybe doesn't count...Going for a walk, perhaps! I go for a walk every morning for half an hour before school, so maybe that's my hobby.

What are your goals for the future at this stage?

Right now, I'm just enjoying motorcycle racing. Over the next few years, we'll see whether I can become a professional racer or not. Of course, I'd love to race in Moto2, WorldSBK or another top-level championship. But we will see...The goal, as I said, is to turn motorcycle racing into my job.

Who's your favourite rider?

Fabio Quartararo. The first MotoGP season I followed closely was 2020, and he did really well in that year (he won three races, ed). I've been a fan of Quartarato ever since.

If you weren't racing, what would you like to do?

I started watching a TV show named "Suits", and through that I am getting interested in the role of the lawyer. Studying law could be interesting, but we will see.

Finally, Mitja, it's time for the "Thank You Moment".

I'd especially like to thank my parents. They started our own team so I could continue racing, and they helped me regain self-confidence. I want to thank my dad, my mum, my siblings and my mechanic Marco.

Palmen in Motorradsport would like to thank Mitja Borgelt for his time and Dominik Borgelt (Mitja's father) for arranging the interview. Best wishes to them for the next chapters of their careers.