He'll turn a spry 25 on February 21, is a die-hard Suzuki rider, and he means business: Tim Stadtmüller will join the IDM Superbike 1000 . The mechanical engineering student from Winnenden raced in the Suzuki GSX-R Cup for two years and ultimately finished fourth overall. His greatest successes included podium finishes at Zolder in Belgium, the Lausitzring, and the Hockenheimring finale. On each of these tracks, he placed third in one of the two races held there.
JR Racing team boss Dominik Jung had had his eye on the IDM Superbike 1000 for a long time; he had been watching Stadtmüller, approached him, and signed him, even though Stadtmüller’s season—aside from his three podium finishes—had been marred by technical problems and crashes. “Yes, a lot of things didn’t go smoothly,” Stadtmüller reports. After finishing third in the first race at Hockenheim, he ended up in the hospital after the second race instead of back on the podium.
“I was trying to pass a competitor with a lot of momentum, but suddenly he slowed down in the turn and I couldn’t avoid him. I slammed into his rear wheel and he crashed. I tried to keep my bike upright, which I managed to do for a moment. Suddenly, his bike flew through the air and hit me. As I fell, I was also struck by my own motorcycle.”
The result of the weekend: severe bruises on the lower body and chest.
This hasn’t dampened his passion for racing or his drive to move up the ranks, and Dominik Jung has noticed that, too. 2019 will be a learning year for Stadtmüller. His goal is to score his first points. A 2018 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 was rebuilt, fitted with Öhlins suspension, and loaded with plenty of electronics. The manufacturer has postponed the delivery of the 2019 model year bikes. Stadtmüller will race under number 23 in the IDM Superbike 1000 class. But for now, he’s heading out with his buddy, motocross rider Dennis Baudrexl, for some hardcore off-road training.