Red flags and interruptions caused quite a stir in qualifying for the IDM Supersport 300 as riders battled for grid positions. One session on a dry track and one on a wet track made for a highly charged atmosphere. The IDM junior class at Most, Czech Republic, is further enriched by the riders from the ADAC Junior Cup. They race in the same field but are classified separately.
Victor Steeman, a top-tier racer, is in pole position. A year ago, he was among the IDM leaders in the 300cc class; he has since joined the Freudenberg WorldSSP Academy and is racing for the Saxon team in the World Motorcycle Championship. Steeman has nothing left to prove in the IDM. As a guest rider, he won’t earn any points anyway. His participation in the IDM Supersport 300 at Most is intended to serve as training for the World Championship.
The situation is quite different for Toni Erhard, the defending champion with the number “1.” He has to win in Most if he wants to keep his chances of an overall victory alive. The KTM rider has earned 55 championship points so far. Belgian Kawasaki rider Angelo Licciardi leads the overall standings with 107 points. Anything is still possible. There are still eight races to go, with the first one taking place today. If it were up to Erhard, the race would be held in dry conditions. His plan: “Pull away and that’s it.” Overtaking opportunities are limited, “but that could also work in my favor. If I’m in the lead, it’s hard for anyone to pass me.”
Erhard will start the race from fifth on the grid. Ahead of him are Rick Dunnik (Yamaha), who is currently second in the overall standings, Melvin van der Voort (Yamaha), and Jann Netzker (KTM). The overall leader of the IDM Championship, Angelo Licciardi of Belgium (Kawasaki), will start from only the fourth row.