Traffic planner? What’s that? Here’s the answer: It’s a job in which the person is responsible for coordinating bike paths, signage, and planning. Jan Bühn, a trained traffic planner, has taken a part-time position at the Heilbronn District Office. In the IDM Superbike 1000, however, the Baden-Württemberg native aims to earn a permanent spot with Honda at the season finale in Hockenheim from September 24–26, 2021.
Bühn had been brought in as a guest rider for the HRP team during the last few races at the Red Bull Ring. The 30-year-old was supposed to serve as the second rider alongside Alessandro Polita to gather additional data for the development of the CBR 1000-RR-R. No one had expected Bühn to be faster than his Italian teammate right from the start. Nor did anyone expect Polita to break his collarbone in Austria.
“Polita was actually my benchmark. He’s been riding the bike for two years,” Bühn concludes. In the races, he finished 15th and 13th. Not quite what he’d hoped for. “We still have some weaknesses in handling. The Fireblade has a lot of potential, but we’re not making the most of it yet. At the Red Bull Ring, I lost a lot of time in the second sector. It’s not easy for me to comment on that yet, but the focus is now on the bike’s performance.”
At the Hockenheim finale, there will again be three free practice sessions on Friday, rather than just two as there were in Austria. “That gives us plenty of time to test different setups,” says Bühn, adding, “Maybe the fact that I know the Ring well will give me a slight advantage.”
Will Bühn return to the IDM Superbike 1000 in 2022? Two years ago, he left the series after finishing tenth overall to compete in the Endurance World Championship. “Yes, of course I’m interested; otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken the job with Holzhauer-Honda in the first place. Ultimately, though, it also depends on the options offered to me by both sides.”