Team GERT56 will see major changes to its rider lineup in 2023. Julian Puffe will be leaving the team, while Toni Finsterbusch will retain his spot. New to the team and riding the BMW M 1000 RR are class rookies Jan-Ole Jähnig and Patrick Hobelsberger.
The team has put behind it that unfortunate year in which both Julian Puffe and Toni Finsterbusch suffered serious injuries. Both had secured podium finishes in the premier class prior to their crashes. Hopes of a return to racing this year were dashed after the doctors’ initial diagnoses. But the team is looking ahead.
“We have an exciting mix to offer in 2023,” says team boss Karsten Wolf, “with Jan-Ole Jähnig, a talent with unlimited potential; Toni Finsterbusch, who keeps the ‘heavy metal’ program in check while delivering aesthetics and consistently aiming for the podium; and ‘Pax’ Hobelsberger, who embodies the ‘Move it, I need to get through here’ mentality.” And Wolf reflects: “We didn’t have an easy first year when we entered the IDM Superbike series in 2021. Our second year in 2022 brought our first good results, but also plenty of setbacks. In 2023, however, we should be ready to take on the championship. There are seven races on the calendar where we will—and must—show what we’re capable of.”
Julian Puffe is being released from his contract. Karsten Wolf commented: “The overall assessment of our collaboration over the past two years—and also previously in the EWC—is extremely positive. We took him on from Honda in 2021 at the lowest point of his career, when he was ranked 13th overall. He became a regular rider and delivered respectable results. The 2022 season and the change in chassis components earned him four podium finishes and seventh place in the final standings. The crash during practice at Assen caused what had seemed like a certain third-place finish in the championship to slip away, and GERT56’s stated goal for the season also vanished into thin air.”
In addition, according to Wolf, “Toni Finsterbusch achieved better race results in the races we competed in together, and it doesn’t even seem like he’s fully tapped into the potential of the GERT56 BMW M 1000 RR. After consulting with the chief engineers and chassis specialists, it’s clear that we’re not in a position to provide Julian with the technical package and setup needed to take a step forward and achieve better results than this year’s. This realization and our new goal of competing for the championship aren’t really compatible.” The powerful yet equally emotional team boss had actually intended to comment on the current developments only in the new year, but he felt it was fair for everyone to know early on so they could reorient themselves. Puffe has proven himself to be an absolute team player and a consistently professional racer.
Jan-Ole Jähnig had been under consideration for some time as GERT56’s new, third driver. Wolf has been following the 21-year-old from Altenburg’s career for the past two years and has had many conversations with him. “We consider Jan-Ole to be one of the greatest talents in German motorsports,” says the Saxon from Pirna about the rising star from Thuringia.
“His rise through the junior ranks all the way to the IDM Supersport was impressive. Over the past two years in the IDM Supersport , he Supersport between outstanding performances and setbacks and crashes. Having to juggle the roles of driver, team manager, mechanic, logistics specialist, and all-around fixer is not conducive to peak performance for a young racer. In the future, he’ll walk into the GERT56 pit with his helmet and bag, switch into support mode, and have only one task there—racing.” Wolf expects the newcomer to finish regularly in the top 10.
Following his exit from the Supersport, Patrick Hobelsberger is switching not only classes but also manufacturers. The Bavarian, Supersport 2021 IDM Supersport, is set for a fresh start. As in recent years, he will conduct his own winter testing in Spain. “He’s extremely focused and organized in preparing and executing his projects, and he’s a bit demanding in the process,” Wolf noted during negotiations, which immediately prompted him to say, “That’s not so bad—we’re just a bit demanding when it comes to delivering results.”