Thomas Eder is picking the best of the best. The team boss from Eggenfelden, Bavaria, has already signed former Supersport champion and World Championship rider Thomas Gradinger to ride the Yamaha. Now, with Soma Görbe, another top-tier talent is joining the team. The German-Austrian-Hungarian trio is determined to finally achieve their goal in 2023: the IDM Supersport title.
First, the best news: Thomas Gradinger is back in shape. The 26-year-old from St. Marienkirchen near Schärding has already been skiing with his team manager, gliding down the slopes with ease, and—as Thomas Eder says with a laugh—“après-ski is back on the menu, too. That’s just as important.”
Grading has had a year plagued by injuries. First, he broke a bone in his right hand in a fall in Oschersleben. In Schleiz, the Upper Austrian—one of the favorites to win the title—injured his shoulder and fractured three thoracic vertebrae. That effectively ended his season. Far more important was the fact that, according to the doctors, he had been “incredibly lucky” that the fall did not result in even more serious consequences.
The original plan had been to use the IDM as a springboard for a fresh start in the Supersport World Championship. There, Gradinger had finished seventh overall as the top rookie. A year later, he secured his first pole position as well as his first podium finish. Nevertheless, unfortunate circumstances meant that Gradinger was unable to secure a ride the following year. Based on his experiences over the past few years, however, Gradinger has also come to realize that while it’s nice to race in the World Championship, it’s not worth it at any cost. “If it doesn’t work out, then it doesn’t work out,” he said a year and a half ago.
In 2023, Soma Görbe, a 17-year-old hothead, will be joining him. The Hungarian is no stranger to the scene. He has competed in the Red Bull Rookies Cup for two years and, in 2021, joined the Supersport field as a guest rider for Eder Racing at the Red Bull Ring and the Hockenheim finale. He finished fourth at the Red Bull Ring. However, as a guest rider, he wasn’t eligible for championship points. “I’ll take him,” team boss Eder decided pretty quickly when it came to a full season.