Under bright sunshine in Most, Czech Republic, the sidecars took to the track again for the first time this season as part of the International German Championship (IDM). A total of 13 sidecars battled it out for the fastest lap time in the first qualifying session.
In the end, Josef Sattler and Luca Schmidt of Team Bonovo Action set the fastest lap time. With a time of 1:44.941 minutes and a lead of 1.304 seconds, the two Germans pulled away from their closest rivals, Mike Roscher and Anna Burkard. The German-Swiss team is fielding one of the last two cars in the field with a 1000 cc engine and is making a guest appearance.
In third place are Michael Grabmüller and Nicolas Bidault from the Polizeimotorsportverein Wels Sektion Motorsports team. The Austrian and the Frenchman posted a lap time of 1:47.846, which was a close call. Just 0.256 seconds behind, drivers Markus Schwegler and his co-driver Ondrej Kopecky were hot on their heels, securing fourth place.
Things could get particularly interesting this season for the Nils Köster/Wouter Zwiers team. The pair are heading into the season with a sidecar that was completely rebuilt over the winter, a project in which two-time world champion Rolf Steinhausen played an active role behind the scenes.
Q1 Sidecars Results
1. Josef Sattler/Luca Schmidt (GER/GER/600 cc), 1:44.941 min.
2. Mike Roscher (GER)/Anna Burkard (SUI), 1000 cc, +1:304 sec.
3. Michael Grabmüller (AUT)/Nicolas Bidault (FRA), +2:906 sec.
4. Markus Schwegler (GER)/Ondrej Kopecky (CZE), +3:162 sec.
5. Peter Kimeswenger (AUT)/Kevin Kölsch (GER), +3.942 sec.