Three championship classes and four cup series, all set against the backdrop of the European Suzuki GSX-R Meeting—this high-octane spectacle awaits visitors to the third round of the IDM. This coming weekend, June 21–23, 2019, the International German Motorcycle Championship, organized by Motor Presse Stuttgart, will be held in Zolder (B).
The race for the title in the premier IDM Superbike 1000 class is more exciting than it has been in a long time: In the four races held so far, there have been three different winners. BMW’s dominance is over. Instead, there is a mixed one-two at the top.
Erwan Nigon (Kawasaki Weber Motos Racing) and season-opener winner Julian Puffe (alpha Racing-Van Zon-BMW) are tied for the lead in the standings. The Frenchman gave the “Greens” their long-awaited IDM victory in Oschersleben.
And what about Ilya Mikhalchik, the 22-year-old defending champion from Ukraine? He did win the first race at the season opener, but in the second race, an electronics malfunction forced him to slow down while he was in the lead. That set him back in the championship, but he was already able to significantly close the gap at Oschersleben: Mikhalchik is now third overall, just four points behind the leader. However, Italy’s Alessandro Polita (Honda Holzhauer Racing Promotion), Toni Finsterbusch (Suzuki Mayer), and Marc Moser (Yamaha MGM Racing Performance) are always capable of springing a surprise. Riders from seven countries are eyeing their chance to score points in the premier class.
In the IDM Supersport 600 class, Max Enderlein (Freudenberg WorldSSP Team) heads to Belgium as the leader. The top spots in this well-established mid-level class are firmly in Yamaha’s hands—if it weren’t for Gabriel Noderer (Weber Motos Racing) disrupting the podium lineup: The Kawasaki rider secured a third-place finish in Oschersleben. The debut of his teammate Luca Grünwald (Kawasaki Schnock Team Motorex) is eagerly anticipated. The 24-year-old from Bavaria is highly regarded, but he was injured before the season opener and has had to sit out until now to recover. The field in the IDM Supersport is a powerhouse, as the Superstock 600 riders are integrated into it. They can be recognized by their blue race number plates. Stefan Ströhlein has won every race so far on his Yamaha.
In Belgium, the IDM Sidecars are back in action as well. Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes, Markus Schlosser/Marcel Fries, Bennie Streuer/Kevin Rousseau, and Josef Sattler/Uwe Neubert are just a few of the seasoned World Championship teams that have also entered the IDM. There are teams with 600-cc and 1,000-cc engines in the same field, but they are classified separately. Twenty-seven sidecar teams will take to the track this weekend.
The IDM schedule is rounded out by the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 Cup, the Twin Cup, and the new BMW Motorrad BoxerCup.
The action isn't just on the track—it's happening off the track, too. From June 21 to 23, Suzuki GSX-R riders from all over Europe will gather at the track for the second time. Hundreds of enthusiasts are expected to attend. And, of course, the Suzuki MotoGP team will be there as well. Factory riders Alex Rins, currently third in the World Championship, and rookie Joan Mir will be coming to the European meet as part of the IDM weekend in Zolder.