It’s now official: 24-year-old Yamaha Supersport rider Patrick “Pax” Hobelsberger has also secured his spot in Supersport in Most, Czech Republic. The event will take place as part of the Superbike World Championship, which will be held from August 6 to 8, 2021, at the permanent circuit in the industrial city in northern Bohemia.
Hobelsberger is receiving support from GMT94, the French team for which Jules Cluzel rides. The team’s second rider, Federico Caricasolu, parted ways with the team this week. At Most, he will be replaced by none other than Valentin Debise, Hobelsberger’s direct rival in the IDM Supersport .
“I’m getting a motorcycle from GMT94,” says Hobelsberger. “My team will be the same as in the IDM, but for this event we’ll be receiving technical support from GMT and we’ll be in the same pit.”
Hobelsberger is starting from a strong position. The Bavarian from Landau has won the last four IDM races in a row—two of them at Most—and also leads the overall standings.
Debise is second in the IDM standings and won both races at the season opener in Oschersleben. He also leads both the French Superbike and Supersport. Thanks to his successes in his home country, Debise has already secured a wild card for the French World Championship round at Magny-Cours on the first weekend of September.
“Most is a great opportunity to prepare for the WorldSSP at Magny-Cours,” he says. Debise, who usually rides a Kawasaki, had the chance to test the World Championship Yamaha R6 at the Carole Circuit in July. Next week, he’ll get to experience it under race conditions.