When filling out the rider profiles for the IDM website, participants were also asked to suggest a headline. Marco Fetz replied : “Marco Fetz Triumphs.” The 18-year-old from Kleinbreitenbronn in Middle Franconia has long since achieved that. Four races, four wins, a perfect score. That’s awesome. Moritz Jenkner, who sits in second place behind him in the standings, trails by 31 points. Stefan Ströhlein, in third place, is already 45 points behind.
Marco Fetz moved up to the IDM Superstock 600 class from the Yamaha R6 Dunlop Cup, where he finished third overall in 2017, and like many others, he has found a new home here following the discontinuation of the Cup. What remains is his YZF-R6 from last year. “We’ve now added an auxiliary radiator, as has been possible since the last event at Zolder. We’re also using a flashed ECU.”
What does the industrial mechanic apprentice have to say about the Schleizer Dreieck, where the next round of the IDM will be held? “I know the track; it has a great layout. Schleiz is awesome. The same goes for the fans.” Fetz is already getting a bit nervous at the thought of winning again in his class in Thuringia. “I can’t and won’t assume that I’ll always win. Moritz Jenkner and also Jan Schmidt "They're serious competitors. I take it one weekend at a time."
Even when Fetz has spun out, he still keeps his eyes fixed on the road ahead. He goes head-to-head with the Supersport bikes, which race alongside the Superstock class in the same field but have Cup status with separate scoring. The Supersport bikes have more technical freedom and also between 15 and 20 more horsepower. “They pull away from me on the straights,” Fetz reports, “but I can keep up in the corners.”
The 6-foot-2-inch giant from Team DRC Däschlein Racing Concept has big plans: to win races and then move up to the IDM Supersport 600 class. “Things are looking really good right now. My sponsors are great.”