The news came as a surprise in Bad Kreuznach: Gabriel Noderer withdrew from the Kiefer Racing Team for the IDM Superbike races in Assen. The reason: COVID-19. The Thalmässingen native tested positive.
Last week, Noderer was unexpectedly struck by bouts of fever, accompanied by a sore throat, mucus in his throat, and a stuffy nose. The 25-year-old Bavarian felt run down. A COVID-19 test confirmed the suspected viral infection. “It hurts to have to stay home because of this,” says Noderer, who is watching the IDM in Assen via livestream, “but in the long run, it’s the smarter decision for the team and everyone else, too.”
The Kiefers are in full swing this weekend, even though Noderer isn’t competing. All the equipment was set up in Assen on Thursday, and on Friday, team manager Jochen Kiefer headed back to Bad Kreuznach with his wife Tina and daughter Katrin. Their older daughter, Franziska, is getting married to Patrick in church today. The family will be back in Assen first thing tomorrow morning. The races wouldn’t happen without the Kiefers.
Björn Stuppi will compete in the premier class on the BMW S 1000 RR. Yves Stadelmann will race the Yamaha YZF-R6 in the IDM Supersport. And if he gets the green light from doctors, Michel-Caspar Wieth will compete in the junior class on a YZF-R3. The 20-year-old has recovered from a COVID-19 infection but subsequently caught a cold, the full recovery from which needs to be monitored. Wieth’s physical condition is being checked daily.