The starting grids for the 2021 International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM) are shaping up very well: “In the IDM Superbike class alone, I expect around 30 international riders,” reports series manager Normann Broy. Even following IDM champion Jonas Folger’s move up to the Superbike World Championship, the strongest field of riders in a long time is already taking shape in the IDM Superbike 1000, just under three months before the season opener. The season opener is scheduled for April 30 through May 2, 2021, at the Lausitzring. The IDM is organized and marketed by the special-interest media company Motor Presse Stuttgart.
If it were up to two-time IDM Superbike champion Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR), the championship season could start right away. The 25-year-old BMW rider has his sights firmly set on a third IDM title. “I’m hungry after finishing second last year,” says the Ukrainian, who aims to win his third IDM title following his victories in 2018 and 2019. The runner-up remains loyal to the EGS-alpha-Van Zon-BMW Team (BEL) led by championship-winning manager Werner Daemen.
In addition to his IDM campaign, the Ukrainian is also part of Daemen’s trio of riders in the World Endurance Championship. However, his focus in 2021 will be on the IDM title. “I’ve been training very hard for this over the past few weeks, because the level of competition in the IDM has risen significantly.” His team has played a significant role in this as well: Daemen is fielding four BMW S 1000 RRs. Alongside Mikhalchik and Tim Eby (Blumberg), Dutch rider Pepijn Bijsterbosch (NLD) and 22-year-old rookie Jan Mohr (AUT) will compete for the factory-backed BMW team.
But the second top BMW team in the IDM is also expanding its roster. In addition to its regular rider, former 125cc champion Florian Alt (Wiehl), chassis specialist Benny Wilbers (Nordhorn) is giving IDM Superbike talent Marco Fetz (Kleinbreitenbronn) a chance. The 21-year-old from Franconia is thus switching from a Suzuki to a BMW following his debut SBK season. The already strong BMW contingent gains additional firepower with GERT54 (Pirna), who is switching from the World Endurance Championship. As in the World Championship, the team from Saxony is relying on Le Mans Stock Sport winners Toni Finsterbusch (Hohenossig) and Lucy Glöckner (Zschopau), who are both making their IDM comebacks.
Yamaha also has a strong showing in the 2021 IDM Superbike series. Last year’s IDM third-place finisher, the ambitious Swiss rider Dominic Schmitter (CHE), is setting out to challenge the strong BMW riders, led by Ilya Mikhalchik and Florian Alt. Like both of his rivals, Schmitter is staying loyal to his team and will be competing in his second season on a YZF R1-M for Konrad Hess’s squad. Last year, the 26-year-old Yamaha rider was the only rider to snatch a pole position from high-flyer Jonas Folger and finished the race just five seconds behind the former MotoGP rider. This is one reason for Schmitter’s confidence when he says, “Of course, that makes me a title contender.” The championship-winning Bonovo action/MGM Racing team continues to rely on the services of Marc Moser (Dieburg) in the IDM and is bringing in Philipp Steinmayr (AUT) as a teammate.
Kawasaki is also expanding its involvement. Emil Weber’s team will now field not just one, but two Ninja ZX10-RRs: Valentin Debise (FRA) takes over from his compatriot Erwan Nigon, and Nico Thöni (AUT), the first overall winner of the Pro Superstock Cup, moves up to the IDM premier class. Team boss Jens Holzhauer (Wittenberge) has put a lot of work into the new Honda CBR 1000 RR-R “Fireblade” over the winter. It is not yet clear how many motorcycles he will field. So far, only fan favorite Alessandro Polita (ITA) has been confirmed.
Following Suzuki’s official withdrawal from the IDM, Denis Hertrampf’s team (Nordhorn) is likely to be the only one of the former teams remaining in the IDM. The motorcycle dealer could compete in the season with a different brand, as his company has a broad portfolio. The new IDM Superbike field promises top-notch competition and exciting races, which are set to be livestreamed, just as they were in 2020.
But it’s not just in the IDM premier class that a top-tier field is taking shape. In the IDM Supersport , too, the competition at the top is getting even fiercer. While it’s not yet clear where last year’s champion, Luca Grünwald, will be racing, the runner-up, Martin Vugrinec (Bochum)—a Croatian rider on a Yamaha—is a highly ambitious contender to take his place. In addition, two-time IDM champion Max Enderlein (Hohenstein-Ernstthal) and his new teammate Jan-Ole Jähnig (Altenberg) form a new, extremely strong rider pairing that is also riding Yamahas. The two former Freudenberg riders have founded their own team.
New to the class, but by no means unknown, is the FÜSPORT RT Motorsports by SKM Kawasaki team. Until now, it has competed exclusively in the 300cc class for young riders. Now it’s moving up a level. With Dutch rider Rob Hartog (NLD) and Dino Iozzo (ZAF), team principals Rob Vennegoor and Frank Krekeler have secured two particularly fast riders. At Bonovo action/MGM Racing, the goal is to score points on Yamaha with World Championship veteran Patrick Hobelsberger (AUT) and, as in 2020, with Milan Merckelbagh (NLD). Marcel Brenner (CHE) will race for Hess Racing. Starting this season, the motorcycles in the 600cc classes—as well as in Supersport —will switch to slick tires from supplier PIRELLI. These tires are also used in the World Championship.
Competition is also heating up in the IDM’s junior class, Supersport . The team led by Michael and Carsten Freudenberg (Bischofswerda) is banking on the fast KTMs with defending champion Lennox Lehmann (Dresden), Dirk Geiger (Mannheim), and World Championship rider Victor Steeman (NLD). After a one-year stint in the more powerful IDM Supersport class, the 20-year-old Dutchman has returned to the Saxon KTM team. Rounding out the rider lineup as a newcomer is 16-year-old Leo Rammerstorfer (AUT). At FÜSPORT RT Motorsports by SKM Kawasaki, Marvin Siebdrath (Wildenfels), Luca de Vleeschauwer (BEL), and Jorke Erwig (Gescher) have secured their spots. The decision on the fourth rider position is still open, as is the search for a replacement for Australian Harry Khoury’s Kawasaki at Benjan Racing (NLD), who is moving up to the World Championship.
In addition to the IDM junior class, the IDM is continuing to evolve into a platform for young motorcycle riders. The Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Cup, held in Germany for the first time, will compete four times as part of the IDM. The Northern Talent Cup (NTC) will be featured three times, and the Austrian Talent Cup—also contested on KTM R4Cs—will hold its final round during the IDM weekend at the Red Bull Ring.
The Twin Cup and the Pro Superstock Cup will also be part of the supporting races. In the Twin Cup, Suzuki motorcycles will still be eligible despite the brand’s withdrawal from the IDM. The IDM Sidecar Championships will also remain on the schedule. It is still unclear at which events the sidecars will compete. The IDM season opener, featuring all championship classes, is scheduled for April 30 through May 2 at the Lausitzring.
IDM 2021 Schedule at a Glance
April 30 – May 2 Eurospeedway Lausitzring
May 7–9 ADAC Sachsenring Classic (IDM Superbike 1000)
May 20–23 Speedweek Oschersleben (IDM SBK 1000, SSP/SST 600, SSP 300)
June 11–13: Autodrom Most (CZE)
July 16–18: Truck Grand Prix Nürburgring (IDM Superbike 1000)
July 23–25: Schleizer Dreieck
July 13–August 15: TT Circuit Assen (NLD)
August 27–29: Red Bull Ring (AUT)
September 24–26: Hockenheimring
The IDM is Germany's premier motorcycle road racing series and has been organized and marketed by Motor Presse Stuttgart since 2018.