Max Schmidt has joined the Hertrampf Racing Team and will be riding a KTM RC 390 in the IDM Supersport 300 class during the 2019 season. After a “tough” debut year in the junior class, the Ronsdorf native is now hoping for better times ahead.
His debut in the IDM Supersport 300 a year ago didn’t go as expected. Max Schmidt had started the season with the GAP Junior Racing Team as the ADAC Junior Cup champion, but success eluded him and retirements repeatedly set the teenager back. Schmidt finished the season in tenth place overall. In the end, he finally broke through with a third-place finish in the final race at the Hockenheimring, which propelled him into the top ten in the final standings.
Establishing themselves on the podium is the stated goal of Schmidt and his new crew. Initial joint test runs in Cartagena, Spain, have left both the driver and the team boss feeling optimistic.
“Max improved lap by lap and was able to maintain his speed consistently right to the end,” reports Denis Hertrampf, who has three other IDM riders on the grid—Daniel Kartheininger, Bobby Bos, and Kevin Sieder—though they’re competing in the Superbike class.
For Schmidt, the next few days will be all about chasing lap times instead of hunting for Easter eggs. During the upcoming break, the 16-year-old will head to Misano for more testing.