Ilya Mikhalchik is the star of the EGS-alpha-Van Zon-BMW team. In 2017 and 2018, he led BMW and his team to the IDM Superbike 1000 title on the S1000 RR. Last season, the 24-year-old Ukrainian was defeated by Jonas Folger in Germany’s top road racing class. Despite his successes, Mikhalchik faces many hurdles on his path to the Superbike World Championship. We asked him about his latest plans for the future.
What is preventing you from advancing to the Superbike World Championship, which is your stated goal?
I can’t afford to buy my way into the WSBK. I have to earn my way up through my talent and reputation. My background in Ukraine—where professional road racing still has a long way to go—doesn’t necessarily help me in that regard. Even Jonas Folger, who put in a really strong performance in the IDM this year, didn’t get a spot on the Yamaha factory team in the World Superbike Championship. It’s not easy to get a foot in the door there.
Would you be willing to switch brands in order to move up?
I don't know if that would be such a smart move. I'm currently in the process of securing another contract with the BMW factory team for the World Endurance Championship. Why would I switch manufacturers now?
Will we see you in the IDM again in 2021?
Of course I’ll be racing in the IDM again. The British Superbike Championship isn’t an option, because it’s very different from what we’re used to. Besides, the level of competition in the IDM is extremely high, and I feel right at home in the series.
Have you talked to team boss Werner Daemen about the next steps? What can he offer you?
Of course we talk to each other. As I’ve already mentioned, Werner has once again offered me a spot with official support from BMW Germany in the IDM, as well as a spot on the factory team in the World Endurance Championship. I’m not doing all this just for fun—it’s my job. I don’t want to buy my way into a WSBK satellite team. That doesn’t make sense to me. But if I were offered a good spot on a factory team in WSBK, I’d accept it right away, of course.