Markus Reiterberger had his sights set on pole position in the IDM Superbike qualifying session, and there was simply no getting past the championship leader. His fastest lap time: 1:37.459 minutes. The Bavarian rider from the BCC-alpha-Racing-Van Zon-BMW team wasn’t the only one to break the 1:38-minute barrier. There was someone else. Florian Alt was second fastest in both qualifying sessions, trailing by just 0.161 seconds.
“A drop in the bucket,” they said, but that good time is of no use to the 26-year-old Wilbers BMW driver. He won’t be starting from the front row tomorrow, but rather from the very back in both races. The reason is that the team is using its fourth engine of the season. The regulations allow for a maximum of three. That won’t stop Alt from pulling out all the stops. BMW has delivered new electronics, which are being partially installed and then removed again. Progress is being made in stages. “We’re testing here to be ready for the last two events.” Alt would have liked the weekend to go differently, but it remains a challenge for him. “I have a task ahead of me, and I can’t say I’m not up for it. After all, it’s also a show for the fans.” His secret hope is to race from the last starting position toward the podium.
Da Alt seinen eigentlichen Startplatz nicht einnehmen wird, rutscht das ganze Fahrerfeld eine Position nach vorn. Somit steht Rob Hartog auf der zweiten Stelle. Der Niederländer ließ auf seiner Heimstrecke nichts anbrennen und das war abzusehen. In der IDM Supersport hatte der Niederländer 2018 in Assen gewonnen, doch dass er auch in seiner Rookie-Saison auf der Superbike-Yamaha des SWPN-Teams so auftrumpft, war doch überraschend.
Loris Baz, the World Superbike rider from the Bonovo Action Team, will start from third on the front row tomorrow. He knows what he’s getting himself into, team manager Michael Galinski believes, “but you can’t expect much more from a bike that’s straight out of the shipping crate. I think it’s great that Loris agreed to come here with the team at all.” Markus Reiterberger knows the Frenchman and rates him at the same riding level as himself. The second row of the grid is occupied by Pepijn Bijsterbosch (BCC-alpha-Van Zon-BMW), Jeroen Hilster (RR Socia Racing Team), and Leandro Mercado (HRP Honda). The Argentine set his best qualifying lap in the second session, and the team still needs to find something at the front of the Fireblade to make the Honda even faster
Max Schmid, the 19-year-old baby of the IDM Superbike series, will start from the third row of the grid at the TT Circuit. Without his teammates Vladimir Leonov and Daniel Kartheininger by his side, he’s now feeling a bit out of his depth at times, as he has no one to lean on. But that has only driven the junior rider from the Hertrampf MO Yamaha Racing Team to push even harder.
IDM Superbike, Qualifying:
1. Markus REITERBERGER (GER), BMW
2. Florian ALT (GER), BMW
3. Rob HARTOG (NED), Yamaha
4. Loris BAZ (FRA), BMW
5. Pepijn BIJSTERBOSCH (NED), BMW
6. Jeroen HILSTER (NED), BMW
7. MERCADO (ARG), Honda
8. Max SCHMIDT (GER), Yamaha
9. Leon LANGSTÄDTLER (GER), BMW
10.Philipp STEINMAYR (AUT), BMW