Three-time champion Markus Reiterberger returned to the IDM Superbike 1000 on a BMW for three races in 2021. The Bavarian believes that the sprint races he competed in are important for his personal development. Unlike the World Endurance Championship with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, there is no agreement in place for 2022 yet. But Reiti says quite clearly: “The IDM has gotten brutally competitive; it was great to have been a part of this season.”
Reiterberger has won three of the six IDM races he has competed in this year. He dedicated his one-two finish at the season finale in Hockenheim to his former and unforgettable mentor, Ralf Waldmann. Exactly thirty years ago, Waldi had won the Grand Prix in the 125cc class at this very track.
For Reiterberger, this year’s races in the IDM were a step forward. Riding for Andy Gerlich’s BCC team, he gained experience on the track and received a boost in motivation. “But as an independent rider, it’s always going to be harder than in a factory-backed team. When big names are signed to a factory team, it makes things even tougher for us,” says Reiterberger.
Both the 27-year-old Bavarian and team boss Gerlich are interested in continuing their collaboration, but nothing has been finalized yet.
“I originally had different goals,” notes Reiterberger, who hasn’t made any further progress since his last promotion to the Superbike World Championship, “but at some point you have to start thinking about other things. I just don’t want to lose my focus. When I do something, I do it right—not just a little bit of everything.”
Reiterberger is currently training with his EWC teammate and this year’s German champion, Ilya Mikhalchik, in preparation for the season finale of the World Endurance Championship in Most. The two headed from Hockenheim to the Czech Republic the very Monday after the IDM finale.