Paul Fröde has completed his rookie year with the Holzhauer Racing Promotion Junior Team. After four seasons on 600cc motorcycles, he has gradually found his footing in the IDM Superbike series. And he wants more of it.
“Ideally, I’d like to ride a Honda again with the HRP team,” gushes the Saxon giant, who has always towered over most of his fellow riders. He says he’ll know more about his future in December, but he’s staying positive. Ultimately, it’s a matter of what happens next and how the team around him shapes up. The decision will be made by Honda Germany.
At this point, it’s also unclear who will take on the lead role as a rider for the HRP team in 2023. Despite a long injury layoff, Luca Grünwald scored 16 points twice for third place in the standings at the Hockenheim finale on the CBR 1000 RR-R. Previously, Argentine rider Leandro Mercado—who was signed to replace Grünwald after his withdrawal—had finished on the podium on the Honda. According to team boss Jens Holzhauer, Honda is now finally ready to compete for the title next year.
Fröde, who is still just getting started in the IDM’s top class, says of his debut season: “I got off to a good start, but in the end I had expected more. It’s harder and takes longer than I thought to get used to the Superbike riding style.” At Assen, the 2020 Superstock 600 champion achieved the highlight of his season with an eighth-place finish.
The 20-year-old is incredibly excited for the 2023 season opener at the Sachsenring. Fröde calls the racing town of Hohenstein-Ernstthal home. It takes him less than ten minutes to get from the paddock to his apartment on a moped or scooter. Fröde’s career began in 2009 on a pocket bike at the Sachsenring. He knows practically every pebble on the track and could ride it blindfolded—just not on a superbike. He’s only spent a single day on the track with the Honda. It’s going to be exciting.