They wanted to come, but they won’t be. Neither Weber Motos (Kawasaki) nor Suzuki Alber-Bischoff has a rider for Schleiz. Both teams have been hit hard.
Because Mathieu Gines Since he has decided to compete in another round of the Endurance World Championship, the Kawasaki ZX-10R seat remains vacant. This is a major blow to the Swiss team, which competes in the IDM with support from a German importer. But forcing Gines to stay at any cost would be pointless. Several insiders have already noted that the Frenchman hasn’t seemed particularly motivated lately. Team boss Emil Weber did set out to find a replacement, but it was a race against time. “We spoke with the Australian Alex Phillis “We talked to a driver from Sweden, but there wasn’t enough time to put something decent together. If we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it right.”
Weber even referred the Swedes to a competitor, Suzuki Alber-Bischoff. But even team boss Evrén Bischoff has to pass. He has a completely different problem. For his driver, Janusch Prokop , the season came to an abrupt end after the Zolder weekend. The reason: several sponsors have pulled out. He can’t afford any more races.
The Reichenbach native, who turned 21 this week, was finally showing signs of improvement after his crashes at the start of the season. “He had some really bad luck in the first few races,” Bischoff sums up, “but things weren’t looking too bad at Zolder. Janusch is one of the few riders who can keep up with the pack without much Superbike experience. It was supposed to be his first full Superbike season. He might have gone places.”
On the international stage, Bischoff didn’t have to look for a replacement. “Several championships are being held this weekend at the Schleizer Dreieck, alongside the IDM. And even if someone like the Swede had been available, the track is unfamiliar. Only the IDM races here.”