Just three more sleeps until the IDM kicks off the 2022 season at the Lausitzring. The top contenders in the Superbike class have already exchanged their first jabs. Markus Reiterberger and Florian Alt faced off last weekend during the final test before the season opener.
The scene of the action: the Lausitzring. On the surface, everything seemed to indicate over the weekend that nothing stood in the way of Markus Reiterberger securing a fourth title in the IDM Superbike series. The facts: The Bavarian from the BCC-alpha-Van Zon-BMW team set the bar very high right on the first day with a lap time of 1:38.5 min, and on the last day even lowered it to 1:38.1 min. And this despite the fact that, according to him, the BMW M 1000 RR initially “proved stubborn and aggressive,” but “we tamed the beast on the very first day.” The 28-year-old from Reiterberg seemed relaxed. “After trying out various suspension settings, we’re now pretty well prepared. The many bumps on the Ring are brutal, but we now have several options for setting up the bike for the start of the season. We’re still battling some chatter and slight vibrations. And the tire choice isn’t off the table.”
Florian Alt, three years younger and racing for the Wilbers-BMW team, was a tad slower than Reiterberger, but unlike the Bavarian, he hadn’t started on soft tires. That means he still has a few tricks up his sleeve. And in dry conditions, Alt is a force to be reckoned with—Reiti knows that. The current weather forecasts play right into the North Rhine-Westphalian’s hands.
Alt was also involved in the development of the BMW Wilbers Team’s new front fork, which is highly regarded internally. The fork is one of the new freedoms in the premier class. However, alternative forks and triple clamps are only permitted within a limited budget and must be available for all motorcycles.
Almost the entire Superbike field was present at the tests in Lausitz, trailing Reiterberger and Alt by half a second. Reiterberger noted the absence of Vladimir Leonov. The Russian is one of the top riders but is affected by the sanctions imposed due to the war in Ukraine. The Yamaha YZF-R1M rider, who has not yet been cleared to race, is still fighting for permission. Team boss Denis Hertrampf says: “Maybe he’ll still be at the Lausitzring on Friday and get on the bike after all.” Leonov is highly motivated and has already been digging like crazy at Hertrampf’s massive construction site to take his mind off things.