18-year-old Dutch rider Victor Steeman is dominating the IDM Superbike 300 class. After his race win and second-place finish at the season opener in Oschersleben, the KTM rider is also setting the pace in qualifying at the IDM weekend in Zolder. The highly talented rider from Lathum in the Dutch province of Gelderland is building on his strong performance from the season opener in Belgium. For him, only one thing matters this season: the IDM title as the successor to World Championship rider Jan-Ole Jähnig.
Like the rider from Thuringia, Steeman also hopes to earn a spot in the World Championship by securing top finishes in the IDM. At Zolder, he can take a big step closer to his dream. That’s because both defending champion Jähnig and his Freudenberg teammate Max Kappler will be competing in the World Championship round at Misano that same weekend.
But even without the competition from the two World Championship riders, Steeman remains highly focused at Zolder. Despite his early-season successes, the Dutchman continues to keep a poker face. Only rarely does a brief smile flit across his face. After two years in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, the quiet rising star has moved to the IDM, where he continues to ride a KTM. “The suspension is excellent,” says the youngster, praising his 48 PS RC390R.
His compatriot Hans Smees has taken over the preparation of the bike. In addition to his technical expertise, the 48-year-old brings a wealth of experience from his active career as a GP and endurance racer. One secret to Steeman’s success lies in his good rapport with Smees: “Victor is very precise when it comes to technical changes to the motorcycle; he’s great at explaining things,” says Smees, praising his protégé, and adds: “Victor is very calm and level-headed. He’s not a hothead.” He virtually never crashes. These are ideal conditions for following up his victory in the season opener with more wins and moving closer, step by step, to his big dream of winning the IDM title.
In practice for the third IDM race, Steeman’s compatriot Dion Otten finished second behind him. Riding the only Honda in the IDM Supersport field, the 15-year-old from Assen relegated KTM rider Toni Erhard to third place. ADAC Junior Cup winner Max Schmidt, who crashed in the second practice session, will start from the second row. The Wuppertal native will have to settle for fifth place behind the fastest Yamaha rider, Kevin Mijwaart .