IDM Supersport 600: Everything's Different—Marco Fetz Will Ride His 600cc Yamaha Again in 2019

He was already being touted as a young rider at Wilbers-BMW, and his move up to the IDM Superbike 1000 class seemed all but certain, but after much back-and-forth deliberation, Marco Fetz has decided on a different plan. The 2018 Superstock 600 champion is moving up to the IDM Supersport 600 class. His Yamaha YZF-R6, which he rode last year, will be modified to comply with the more lenient regulations.

Why the change? “It wouldn’t have worked the way we envisioned,” says Fetz, “the 600cc project is easier for us to handle. Even in the event of a crash, when we need replacement parts.” Marco Fetz’s crew remains the same, except for the chassis technician. He came over from Wilbers last season; now a new one is being hired.

In 2018, 19-year-old Fetz stood on the podium after every race. The Bavarian from Kleinbreitenbronn won six races, finished second three times, and came in third just as many times. Fetz is a fighter. During the day, he’s a third-year industrial mechanic apprentice; in the afternoons, he goes jogging and hits the gym. He’s also tried to pay more attention to his diet—which is difficult for a chocolate lover. “But it’s going better now than last year,” Fetz says, “my willpower is stronger.”

He’s aiming for a top-8 finish in the IDM Supersport . “Max Enderlein, Daniel Rubin, and Marc Buchner will probably be right up front,” he predicts. “But if I could finish in the top five in just one race, that would be awesome.”