Even though the first titles in the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM) have already been decided, major events are on the horizon. At the IDM finale in Hockenheim, Germany’s premier motorcycle road racing series—organized by MOTOR PRESSE STUTTGART—will be in top form. From September 27 to 29, 2019, international stars will be lining up one after another. Numerous guest riders have registered. Races will be held in five IDM classes as well as five additional cups.
Marvin Fritz has entered the premier IDM Superbike 1000 class. He is the 2016 champion and won the title in spectacular fashion with Team Bayer-Bikerbox Yamaha, a small privateer team. He will also be racing with them at Hockenheim on a Yamaha R1-M. Otherwise, Fritz is currently competing in the Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC).
Ilya Mikhalchik and Julian Puffe also competed in their first race for the new BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team there last weekend and finished third. Mikhalchik has been the new IDM Superbike 1000 champion since Assen. Puffe hopes to defend his second place in the overall standings ahead of Dutch rider Pepijn Bijsterbosch at the IDM finale. Five brands are represented in the top IDM class. BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha each have at least one rider in the top ten, and a lot can still happen.
Racing will also take place in the IDM Supersport 600 and Supersport 300 classes. In the junior class, the title race is still in full swing and, as usual, will likely not be decided until the final corner of a race. New this year, however, are guest riders from Sweden and Norway.
The world's top riders are gathering in the IDM Sidecar class for engines up to 600 cc, led by five-time world champion Pekka Päivärinta, who also won the IDM in 2012. The Finn is making his comeback at Hockenheim. In the World Championship, he is currently third overall behind Tim Reeves, the new IDM champion and seven-time world champion, as well as the Birchall brothers, Ben and Tom. The brothers are not at Hockenheim, but the fourth-place World Championship duo Markus Schlosser and Marcel Fries are.
The supporting program’s cup races will also feature many prominent figures. Come see Stéphane Mertens, the 1989 Superbike World Championship runner-up and two-time World Endurance Champion; American professional racer Nate Kern; and former German Grand Prix rider Jürgen Fuchs. The starting grids are packed with big names. In addition, fans can look forward to a supporting program featuring test rides on motorcycles from all manufacturers, a guest appearance by Stefan Bradl at the Honda booth, stunt rider Dirk Manderbach, a pit walk with an autograph session, a quad course, and the unveiling of the new Yamaha R1.
Ticket prices are also fan-friendly: €19.00 on Saturday; €25.00 on Sunday. A weekend pass costs €35.00. Children and teenagers up to and including age 17 get free admission all weekend.