The time has come. Daniel Kartheininger is set to take the starting grid at the TT Circuit in Assen on a Ducati Panigale V4R in the IDM Superbike 1000 class. He’ll be racing as a guest rider under the banner of the HRT 100 team, through which team manager Denis Hertrampf competes in the World Endurance Championship and the DLM.
Hertrampf, however, is dampening fans’ hopes for a sensation even before the race begins. “It’s a test, nothing more,” he makes clear, but adds, “If everything goes well, we’ll use the same setup at the next IDM race at the Red Bull Ring.” Hertrampf also has his sights set on the season finale at Hockenheim—in the hope that the manufacturer will be able to secure a permanent spot for Ducati in the IDM.
Daniel Kartheininger is looking forward to his role this coming weekend, but he’s also quick to add: “It’s a test. As everyone knows, the bike was a total wreck after my crash during testing. It had to be completely rebuilt. Now we’ve tested it for two days in Oschersleben. Of course, people will talk about me and our team if I don’t immediately compete at the front with the Panigale in Assen, but that’s not our goal right now.”
The team will set up the truck and tent in the paddock. They don’t have their own pit; all the pits are taken. “Under no circumstances will we integrate the Ducati into our Hertrampf Yamaha Mo Racing Team with Vladimir Leonov and Max Schmidt,” said Hertrampf. “The Ducati team will have its own completely separate setup.”