Sometimes decisions are made overnight. After two years and many experiences, South African Dorren Loureiro has decided to withdraw from the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship. The 22-year-old rider from Johannesburg made his decision following the dramatic race weekend in Jerez. Loureiro finished the season with 51 World Championship points and in 16th place overall with the Dutch-German Füsport–RT Motorsports by SKM–Kawasaki team.
Team manager Rob Vennegoor has found a replacement rider in Dirk Geiger for the World Championship finale currently taking place in Portugal. The Mannheim native is one of the most successful competitors in the IDM Supersport 300 series. He secured four wins this season for the Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team.
“Of course, our team rider Marvin Siebdrath would have been our first choice for the Kawasaki,” Vennegoor admits frankly, “but he wasn’t able to step in on such short notice.” A week ago, Siebdrath finished as the IDM runner-up with Füsport–RT Motorsports by SKM–Kawasaki. “What matters to me is that we were able to sign a fast rider. And with Dirk, everything fell into place,” Vennegoor continues. “The Freudenberg team is giving him the opportunity to race for us, and in doing so, giving a young German athlete the chance to compete at the world level.”
The international stage isn't entirely new to the 21-year-old. He has already competed in the Moto3 World Championship and the Moto3 Junior World Championship. In today’s free practice session for the Supersport 300 World Championship, Geiger got his first taste of the Kawasaki Ninja 400. He finished 18th out of 42 riders with a time of 1:57.238.