“A year ago, I was down here in the gravel—and now I’m standing on the podium,” said Toni Finsterbusch, with tears in his eyes, during his winner’s interview after the first IDM Superbike race at the Schleizer Dreieck. The 30-year-old from Krostitz, who finished second, has finally returned to the ideal racing line.
A year ago, Finsterbusch hadn't dared to imagine it. In a serious accident involving Jan Mohr, the BMW driver had fractured his pelvis. A screw was inserted during a minimally invasive surgery to stabilize the fracture. He left the hospital on crutches. He had also fractured the middle metacarpal bone in his right hand and sustained several cuts and abrasions.
The fact that he made it onto the podium in Schleiz of all places triggered a whirlwind of emotions. In the background, his mother was crying along with him, and GERT56 team boss Karsten Wolf, too, had his sunglasses pulled down tight to hide his teary eyes.
Finsterbusch himself described it as a very emotional weekend. “Personally, I never would have thought things would turn out this way in Schleiz of all places, but maybe some things just have to happen in certain places. I would have expected a podium finish anywhere, but definitely not in Schleiz. I actually came here with the goal of getting home healthy, and I managed to do that this year—and with two really awesome races, too. Second place in the first race was, of course, more than just compensation for all the hard work it took to get back to where I am now.”
He doesn’t intend to rest on his laurels. He also wants to aim for the podium in two weeks—“maybe even a double podium?” His teammates are ready. With seventh- and fifth-place finishes, rookie Jan-Ole Jähnig achieved his best result to date in the premier class of the International German Motorcycle Championship at his home race on the Schleizer Dreieck. Fellow rookie Patrick “Pax” Hobelsberger had to settle for tenth and ninth place after several incidents with the competition, but he’s extremely strong at the Red Bull Ring.
Team Principal Karsten Wolf offers his personal take on the weekend: “The most frequently asked question in Schleiz was definitely whether I’m satisfied. And my answer is quite clear: Yes, I am. First, I’d like to commend my team, which went the extra mile in Schleiz—exactly what the conditions on that natural race track demanded to be successful. After everything that happened last year and in the run-up to the race, it was simply important to get through Schleiz and make the transition to the Red Bull Ring—where we were absent last year. Toni Finsterbusch’s driving skills certainly speak for themselves, and he has impressively demonstrated his character and mental strength in the wake of last year’s crash. It was a moment that didn’t leave me unscathed either. What has everyone absolutely thrilled is Jan-Ole Jähnig’s learning curve; building on the consistency he showed in the early rounds, he went on the offensive for the first time at his home race—much to the delight of the fans. He’s such a huge talent—we’ve simply removed every obstacle holding him back and are giving him everything he needs. And Pax will continue to grow on weekends just like these. He, too, was out on the Thuringian forests and fields for the first time on the Superbike powerhouse. He had to weather some hair-raising situations in both races, handled them superbly, and fought his way forward or back each time. As a result, his chances of a podium finish are very much intact, and he can now try to showcase his potential—and that of the BMW M 1000 RR—in Austria.”
