The next driver in the IDM Superbike 1000 is set for the upcoming 2019 season. The team Suzuki Mayer from Passau and Leipzig Toni Finsterbusch will continue their partnership in Germany's top class of motorcycle road racing.
The Bavarian-Saxon connection can now enjoy the Christmas holidays to the fullest and without any pressure. Team owners Thomas and Werner Mayer, along with the 25-year-old driver, have already signed the contract for 2019.
After several years in the Moto3 World Championship and the Superstock 1000 European Championship, Finsterbusch joined the team in 2018
. A great deal of development work has been done on and with the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 . The team plans to build on this foundation. In particular, the collaboration with suspension manufacturer WP will be intensified.
“The goal is still to beat the BMW riders,” says Thomas Mayer. At the 2018 season finale, he made IDM history by finishing third in the first race—a first for him statistically. However, he did not stand on the podium. This was because a guest rider, who did not receive any points, had finished ahead of him. That rider climbed onto the podium, while Finsterbusch received only the points for third place in the IDM standings and was left without a trophy.
In the overall standings after 14 races, Finsterbusch finished in sixth place. The Mayers had spent the past few weeks deliberating at length over whether to sign a second driver in the future, but ultimately decided against it. Their focus is entirely on Toni Finsterbusch.
However, the GSX-R model announced by Suzuki for 2019 won’t be used, as
there is no specific delivery date. “We’re planning to use the existing 2018 bike. But the new one would have been tempting, since it’s supposed to allow you to adjust the swingarm pivot point,” says Thomas Mayer, hoping to perhaps show up with it by the end of the season.
“Now I finally want to make it onto the podium,” Finsterbusch announces. “In the end, I want to achieve a better overall result.” That means a top-five finish. Test runs are scheduled for March in Misano, Italy.