Just a quick reminder: With Marvin Fritz, the gifted tuner Sepp Buchner achieved a remarkable success story. Within four years, the Bavarian led his protégé to two IDM titles, first in the Supersport 600 class and then in Superbikes in 2016. Together, the dream team moved up to the Superstock 1000 European Championship with Yamaha. Now their paths have diverged. Fritz can no longer try to do everything at once, as he was also competing in the Endurance World Championship for Team Yamaha Austria. He had to make a decision. He chose the Endurance World Championship.
Buchner is banking on young talent
So Buchner is developing a new young talent in his Bikerbox team and is also looking forward to the IDM comeback. Kevin Sieder is an unknown quantity in Germany’s top road racing class. The Lower Austrian has previously competed in the Czech and Austrian championships. Apart from the Lausitzring, he is unfamiliar with any of the tracks where the IDM is held. 2017 will be a learning year. He is set to really get to know the YZF-R1. Before the season kicks off at the end of April in Oschersleben, he’ll have time to do so during eleven test days at three tracks in Spain. That’s because, until now, Sieder has mostly ridden a Kawasaki.