Leandro “Tati” Mercado made his return to racing in Most following his injury layoff, finishing fourth in the first race and sixth in the second IDM Superbike race. Luca Grünwald filled in for him in the meantime and continues to be a topic of conversation.
Former World Championship rider Mercado broke the metacarpal bone in his left hand in a crash during free practice at the season opener at the Sachsenring. Four races subsequently took place without the Argentine. Upon his return at Most in the Czech Republic, he was faster on the only Kawasaki in the field than last year’s guest rider Leon Haslam, who, like Mercado, also comes from the Superbike World Championship. “It helped that Luca Grünwald was our substitute rider in Oschersleben,” says Kawasaki Weber Motos Racing boss Emil Weber. The team boss explains that Grünwald has already worked through certain aspects of the ZX-10RR’s electronics. And that this may not have been his last outing. “Tati is competing in the Endurance World Championship race at Suzuka, which overlaps with the IDM event at the Red Bull Ring. It’s quite likely that we’ll call on Luca one more time.”