Australian rider Tom Toparis (Yamaha) will start tomorrow’s two IDM Supersport 600 races from pole position. In the second qualifying session, he edged out his German Yamaha teammate Marc Buchner, who will now start from second place. Luca Grünwald rounds out the front row of the grid. The Kawasaki returnee has recovered from the foot injuries he sustained in late August while training on an off-road bike. The 24-year-old from Waldkraiburg suffered capsular injuries and ligament strains in both ankle joints. As a result, he was unable to compete in the last IDM round at Assen. At Hockenheim, he hopes to bring his troubled season to a successful close. He had missed the first few races due to a back injury.
Polesetter Toparis has announced that he will compete in another IDM season. “That’s the plan, at least,” says the Australian “sunny boy,” who spent several weeks living in the Netherlands near his team during the season. After winning the title in the Australian “ Supersport ” Championship, Toparis also wants to go down in history as an IDM champion.
Marc Buchner is well on his way to becoming the 2019 IDM Supersport 600 runner-up, as long as he stays ahead of Sander Kroeze (Yamaha) and Martin Vugrinec (Yamaha). The Dutch rider was fifth-fastest in qualifying, but he’s always good for a surprise. The Croatian Vugrinec finished in tenth place. Where Buchner’s path will lead after the season is still anyone’s guess. Developing young talent is one option, but Buchner has also built a Moto2 Kalex for himself. This would make appearances in the CEV Moto2 European Championship a possibility.
Max Enderlein, who has already been crowned champion in the IDM Supersport 600, won’t be racing this weekend. He’s been doing an internship at Porsche in Leipzig and is busy with work, but he’ll be racing over to Hockenheim afterward for the championship ceremony.
Kevin Wahr, who is competing as a guest driver, qualified for the twelfth starting position.
In the DMSB Superstock 600 Cup, the top three from practice are Jan Schmidt (Yamaha), Joep Overbeeke (Yamaha), and Paul Fröde (Honda). They’re right on each other’s heels: P 14, 15, and 16.