When the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM) comes to Hockenheim, the end of the season is approaching. It has become a tradition for the finale of Germany’s premier motorcycle racing series to be held at the Motodrom in Baden. From September 23 to 25, 2022, the air above the track will be buzzing with excitement once again. The tension in the four IDM classes and three cups on the supporting program will be at a fever pitch.
Even though the champion has already been decided, the final word hasn’t been spoken in the IDM Superbike series. The question remains whether Florian Alt can beat four-time titleholder Markus Reiterberger (BCC-alpha-Van Zon-BMW) one more time this year. The Motodrom in Hockenheim is his last chance to do so. Everything has to fall into place. While “Reiti” was just barely able to keep his rival at bay at the Red Bull Ring last time out, Alt is now going all in to turn the tables at “Hoggene.” The 26-year-old rider and championship runner-up from Team Wilbers-BMW-Racing is the only one who can take on the 28-year-old Reiterberger at the top. Alt gained an extra dose of motivation last weekend at the 100th anniversary of the Bol d’Or endurance race, where he claimed victory in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Castellet. The countdown to the final race is on.
In the slipstream, two Dutch riders—Rob Hartog (Team SWPN) and Pepijn Bijsterbosch (BCC-alpha-Van Zon-BMW)—are battling for third place in the championship. Only five points separate them. On his Yamaha, Hartog is the only rider who can prevent a complete BMW dominance at the top. Like Reiterberger and Bijsterbosch on BMWs, he is one of three competitors who have finished every race this season and earned points. But the outcome won’t be decided without the involvement of Bastien Mackels (Kawasaki Weber-Motos Racing), Luca Grünwald (Holzhauer Racing Promotion), Kamil Krzemien (BCC-alpha-Van Zon-BMW), or Philipp Steinmayr (Eder Racing). They could tip the scales.
The title race in the IDM Supersport 300 is shaping up to be a real nail-biter. This junior class is a “flying classroom,” where races are regularly decided by thousandths of a second at the finish line. Will it be Leo Rammerstorfer (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) or Marvin Siebdrath (Füsport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki)? The battle for the IDM crown is still wide open, with just seven championship points separating the contenders. While Siebdrath has to go it alone on the Kawasaki Ninja 400, Rammerstorfer, on the KTM RC 390 R, has the support of his teammates Walid Khan and Scott Deroue, who are in fourth and fifth place in the standings and play a key role.
In the IDM Supersport , Max Enderlein (M32 Racing) has clinched his third championship title ahead of schedule. Still, he won’t be taking it easy at Hockenheim. Fresh off vacation, he won’t hold back when Luca de Vleeschauwer (Kawasaki Weber-Motos Racing), Andreas Kofler (Kawasaki Schnock Team Motorex), and Melvin van der Voort (Team SWPN) face off in a showdown for second and third place in the standings. Belgium versus Austria and the Netherlands. With this mix, nothing is predictable. De Vleeschauwer faltered slightly at the Red Bull Ring recently and went home without a podium finish for the first time, but with the most points to his name, he has the best shot at the runner-up title. Kofler’s season has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Van der Voort, on the other hand, has gotten better and better in the second half of the season and has made up a lot of ground. It will also be interesting to see what role Jan-Ole Jähnig or Twan Smits (Team Apreco) will play at Hockenheim. Jähnig (M32 Racing) is eager to make it onto the podium at the end of the season after failing to finish the last race in Austria.
In the IDM Sidecar class, the title race is between eight-time world champion Tim Reeves and his passenger Kevin Rousseau (Bonovo Action/Team Reeves Racing) and Josef Sattler, with Luca Schmidt (Bonovo Action) as his passenger. Reeves has three wins this season so far. Sattler is still chasing his first victory, but is nonetheless only nine points behind the leader. There won’t be a final decision at Hockenheim. The champion won’t be crowned until a week later at the big Sidecar Festival in Oschersleben.
A packed schedule and plenty of action are planned for the upcoming weekend at Hockenheim. In the supporting races, the Twin Cup, the Pro Superstock Cup, and the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Cup will all be competing for the title. At the IDM Pit Walk, spectators can get closer to the riders than anywhere else. The two world champion motorcycles from MotoGP (Fabio Quartararo’s Yamaha M1) and WorldSBK (Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s Yamaha R1), which will be on display in the IDM paddock, are also a real treat for the eyes. IDM pool partner Gilles is showcasing the original motorcycles in Hockenheim. Tech enthusiasts can look forward to real treats with the YZR-M1 and the WSBK Yamaha R1.
Traditionally, the IDM finale at Hockenheim is a race party that you’ll never forget. It’s all about being there. Free admission on Friday; 19.00 euros on Saturday; 25.00 euros on Sunday; weekend ticket 35.00 euros. Admission to the race event is free for children and teens up to and including age 17. Our viewers can also watch the live stream of the races from home at www.idm.de/live .