After an eight-month break due to injury, Gabriel Noderer is back on a race bike. The Bavarian from Eysölden thinks his move up to the IDM Superbike series is “absolutely awesome.”
The 25-year-old suffered a serious shoulder injury during free practice for the IDM Supersport at the Schleizer Dreieck. That crash effectively ended the season for Noderer. In Spain, the new Superbike rider from the Kiefer Racing Team returned to the track and said: “I headed down there two days before the official IDM test with my teammate Björn Stuppi. At the Alcarras Circuit, he first explained everything to me on the test bike, starting with traction control, engine braking, and mapping settings, all the way through launch control and the speed limiter. I then tried everything out. But the primary goal was: ride, ride, ride. I need to get to know the BMW S 1000 RR quickly and well. I already have a lot of respect for the speeds reached in the IDM Superbike series. But it was super cool and I had a blast.”
After several years in Supersport, Noderer has to completely change his riding style. “I have to keep the bike more upright coming out of the corner and use all that power differently.”
During the IDM tests in Aragon and Valencia, he not only got to know the whole team but also delved into the intricacies of the BMW’s electronics. “Those two days in Aragon were extremely important for me in terms of understanding how the bike works.” During the three scheduled test days, all riders were only able to get out on dry track in two sessions. “It was a challenge for me to compete in the battle for lap times.”
Team manager Jochen Kiefer also had his riders spend a lot of time on the track in the rain. “There’s hardly any technical data that’s been collected in wet conditions,” said Noderer. The team has just completed its debut season in the IDM premier class, and its data management system is still under development.
After many wet races and a minor slip-up, Noderer is certain of one thing: “By moving up to the IDM Superbike class, I did everything right. That’s what my gut tells me.”