It comes as no surprise, as there had already been talk of this at the 2018 IDM finale in Hockenheim, but now the deal is official. Ukrainian rider Ilya Mikhalchik and Julian Puffe from Schleiz, Thuringia, have signed on for another IDM Superbike 1000 season with the alpha Racing-Van Zon-BMW team. Team boss Werner Daemen will thus retain both the current champion and the 2018 third-place finisher for 2019 and will tackle the project on the brand-new BMW S 1000 RR with the two riders. The team faces a significant challenge.
IDM champion Ilya Mikhalchik won nine of 14 races in his rookie IDM season and secured pole position at six of seven events. His mission is to defend his title. “The team was my first choice,” says the 22-year-old from Kiev. “I think that with the new S 1000 RR, we’ll immediately have a competitive bike. Winning the title is also our goal for 2019. The IDM is a high-level series. I’m expecting another tough battle for the championship.”
Julian Puffe secured the first pole position of his career at the Schleizer Dreieck in 2018. However, the Thuringian, who will celebrate his 23rd birthday on December 1, is still missing a victory. He says: “I’m overjoyed to be driving for Werner Daemen’s team again next year. Above all, I’m excited to see how the new motorcycle handles. I want to turn the trust placed in me into the best possible results, and it helps that my current crew is staying on.”