Things are going like clockwork for Andreas Kofler (M32 Racing). World Championship points at Most, an IDM victory at the Red Bull Ring, and now his first pole position in the Supersport class at Assen, Netherlands. The 19-year-old Austrian is now in the running for the title. Twan Smits (Team Apreco) and Melvin van der Voort (Team SWPN) finished second and third, respectively, in qualifying for the penultimate IDM round of the 2023 season.
Melvin van der Voort trails leader Twan Smits by two points in the overall standings. Andreas Kofler is just four more points behind. With his victory at the Red Bull Ring, the Yamaha rider has catapulted himself into the ranks of the title contenders. And now he’s in pole position—on a track where the Dutch usually call the shots. The TT Circuit is like a second home to them. Kofler says, however, that he wants to keep his feet on the ground, even when it comes to the title. “It wouldn’t be bad to have it, but whether it opens doors for me is another matter.” Kofler would like to compete in the Supersport World Championship in 2024, but another year in the IDM isn’t out of the question either.
For Twan Smits, who finished second in practice, things are getting tighter and tighter at the top of the standings. His lead in the overall standings has been steadily shrinking. He was on the podium in every race early in the season. That streak ended at Schleiz. If he wants to win the title, he’ll need to finish ahead of van der Voort and Kofler tomorrow.
Melvin van der Voort, who started third on the front row, has been the highly touted title favorite in the IDM since the start of the year Supersport, but initially squandered his chances with two crashes. With a great deal of determination, the 18-year-old has fought his way back to the front. Theoretically, he could have secured pole position on his home track as well, but during his fastest lap, he briefly went off the track, and that lap was disallowed.
The fact that Leon Orgis (Yamaha cRU bLU IDM by Kiefer Racing) cut him off on the final lap bothered Julius Caesar Rörig (MCA Racing), who started from the third row. “Second would have been nice, but I achieved my goal,” said the only Honda rider in the field. He has a two-year contract and is expected to finish in the top 10. “That’s all still within reach, and compared to the other races, I’m satisfied with today’s result.” Rörig is currently eleventh overall.
IDM Supersport, Qualifying
1. Andreas KOFLER (AUT), Yamaha
2. Twan SMITS (NLD), Yamaha
3. Melvin VAN DER VOORT (NLD), Yamaha
4. Thomas GRADINGER (AUT), Yamaha
5. Luca DE VLEESCHAUWER (BEL), Kawasaki
6. Leon ORGIS (GER), Yamaha
7. Julius Caesar RÖRIG (GER), Honda
8. Milan MERCKELBAGH (NLD), Yamaha
9. Christoph BEINLICH (NLD), Yamaha
10. Michal PRASEK (CZE), Triumph
