Seven classes, seven rounds of new action. When the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM) returns to the Sachsenring this
coming weekend after a two-year hiatus, things will really heat up in Germany’s motorcycle
Mecca. Especially since quite a few local riders will be on the starting grid. For three days, fans will be treated to an extremely
varied program.
When Germany's top road racing series, the IDM Superbike, heads into the turns, the excitement reaches a fever pitch.
Stars such as Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR/BMW), Florian Alt (GER/Honda), Leandro “Tati” Mercado (ARG/Kawasaki), and Vladimir
Leonov (UAE/Yamaha) are taking turns at the front. They are also the clear favorites to win the title. For the four motorcycle brands competing in the class, it’s all about honor and prestige. The highly tuned race bikes have well over 220 PS and reach top speeds of over 300 km/h.
Right in the middle of the pack is Paul Fröde, a 20-year-old Honda rider from Hohenstein-Ernstthal. For him, the race track is just a stone’s throw away. When he drives there by car, the engine isn’t even halfway warmed up by the time he reaches his destination. At his home race, however, the superbike rider from the HRP Junior Team will face a challenge unlike any other. “I’m sure I’ll have lots of visitors and guests. It’s the best feeling ever to be able to race on your home track,” says Fröde, who is expecting family, friends, sponsors, and supporters. “I’m looking forward to it, even though it’s both a curse and a blessing. After all, I have to concentrate on riding. But it’s no different in MotoGP, and they manage just fine. So will I.”
Fröde has been working through a rigorous training program over the past few weeks. After breaking his collarbone during winter testing in Valencia, Spain, things came to a halt, and the Saxon was forced to take a four-week break. “Plate in, left side again, same as always,” he says, alluding to the same incident from 2022. “But now I don’t feel a thing.” He’s since trained in Most, at the Sachsenring, and in Oschersleben. The first real test will come this coming weekend in Germany’s motorcycle stronghold, on a track that also hosts the Motorcycle World Championship. Here, it’ll be a head-to-head battle to see who brings the best package to the starting line.
Moritz Jenkner and Kevin Orgis, two racers from Saxony who normally compete in other classes, have signed up as guest drivers to showcase their skills in front of their home crowd.
In the IDM Supersport , Max Enderlein from Hohenstein-Ernstthal has left the
class after winning his third championship title, clearing the way for new podium contenders. There’s something interesting to note here: from now on,
spectators will be able to see brand-new motorcycles on the track. The reason is the technical regulations of the FIM World Super
,
which will be implemented in the IDM starting in 2023, with minor national variations. The IDM Supersport is entering
the “Next Generation.” This means it allows the use of motorcycles that do not fit into the traditional 600cc class
such as the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS. To ensure that all brands in the class have an equal chance
, the various motorcycle designs are balanced against one another. This is achieved through a sophisticated
balancing rule. Similar to the World Championship, IDM motorcycles are now also equipped with standardized electronics.
The young guns compete in the IDM Supersport 300 junior class. Spectators shouldn’t miss these battles, as they often come down to a photo finish at the finish line. There’s plenty going on at the Sachsenring this coming weekend, especially since the Northern Talent Cup, the Twin Cup, and the Yamaha R7 Cup are also on the schedule.
The icing on the cake for the schedule is the Sidecar World Championship, which the IDM promoter and organizer—
Motor-Presse Stuttgart, which has only been operating in parallel for a few weeks. With many title holders from
In the German-speaking world, the discipline has a very successful history, which is now entering a new chapter—
is coming. World champions Todd Ellis and Emanuelle Clement, as well as Tim Reeves and Mark Wilkes, aren't about to let that happen either
will miss out, just like the German champions Josef Sattler and Luca Schmidt.
What are you waiting for? Ticket prices range from 5.00 euros for a Friday day pass to 35.00 euros for a weekend pass. All racing fans who already have a valid ticket for the MotoGP World Championship will receive a 10% discount on their IDM ticket when purchasing in advance. The discounted ticket can only be purchased at the Sachsenring Event GmbH advance sales office at Hohensteiner Straße 18 in Oberlungwitz at the Sachsenring. It’s very simple: just show your GP ticket and purchase your IDM ticket at the special price. That’s it.