In theory, Paul Fröde could defend his title in the IDM Superstock 600 Cup at the season finale in Hockenheim. In practice, however, 17 championship points separate the 19-year-old from Hohenstein-Ernstthal from the current leader, Noah Lequeux. But regardless of how the season finale at the Motodrom in Baden, taking place from September 24 to 26, 2021, turns out: Fröde is aiming for promotion to the IDM Superbike 1000 in 2022.
“Yes, that’s the plan,” Fröde says candidly on the subject. “There have been some initial talks, but nothing is set in stone.” He describes his chances as “not too bad,” but wouldn’t mind being approached by other decision-makers. For the Saxon, promotion to the top flight is a serious matter.
As was the case last year, Fröde is currently the only rider on a Honda in the Superstock 600 field, which, despite minimal modifications to the bikes, starts alongside the IDM Superstock 600 class but is scored separately. Fröde has won five races this season; no competitor has more to show for it. Cup leader Lequeux from Luxembourg has only four wins, but a better overall record because he has scored points in every race. Fröde, on the other hand, was taken out by a Supersport rider during the formation lap before the restart of the second race at the season opener in Oschersleben. “Everything just went a bit wrong,” Fröde reports, “because later in Assen, the engine blew up in the second qualifying session; as a result, the Honda didn’t run smoothly in the first race. In the second race, it worked better, but it was still far from running properly.”
Most recently at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Fröde had to settle for a lower position once again. “I didn’t get the hang of the track right away. Right at the start of the race, Superbike rider Melvin van der Voort crashed right in front of me. Having to swerve to avoid him put me way behind. I was able to make up ten seconds and was posting the same lap times as Lequeux on his Yamaha, but I just couldn’t catch up to him anymore.” The final reckoning, however, won’t come until Hockenheim.