Ilya Mikhalchik is back. Even though he spent a year racing in Spain and was absent, everything is just like old times: The Ukrainian set the fastest time in the IDM Superbike free practice session. But he has changed in recent years, says his Belgian team boss and manager, Werner Damen, about the BMW M 1000 RR-F rider.
“He’s happy to be back on our team,” Daemen says of his protégé’s return. Things went well in the Spanish Championship, and Michalchik feels at home all over Europe—but especially at BCC-ALPHA-VAA ZON-BMW. His driver has matured and is more open in his work. At the very beginning, Michalchik didn’t show any emotion. Now he lets his emotions show. Daemen is convinced when he says, “You can work with him honestly and directly. Actually, that’s a dream scenario for any team manager.”
Florian Alt (Holzhauer Racing Promotion), Leandro Mercado (Kawasaki Weber Motos Racing), Toni Finsterbusch and Patrick Hobelsberger (both GERT56), as well as Vladimir Leonov (Hertrampf Yamaha Racing), are the competitors the 26-year-old three-time Superbike champion has to watch out for this year. Alt, riding the Honda CBR 1000 RR-R, had topped the timesheets ahead of him in the first free practice session.