Things are looking good for Florian Alt (HRP) on his Honda. Although he could only secure a spot on the second row of the grid during qualifying for the IDM Superbike at the grand finale of the International German Motorcycle Championship in Hockenheim, the championship leader holds a 36-point lead. Nevertheless, Ilya Mikhalchik (BCC ALPHA VAN ZON BMW RACING TEAM) and Hannes Soomer (Enemat Enos Motorsport) still have a mathematical chance at the title. And the final tally won’t be settled until the last checkered flag falls.
If Florian Alt had won the last race at Assen and hadn’t crashed, he would have clinched the championship title early in Germany’s top motorcycle road racing class. But things turned out differently, and the suspense is at its peak heading into the finale. Alt’s lead in the Superbike standings is still substantial, but it’s by no means a guarantee of the title.
Alt finished fifth in qualifying. That means the 27-year-old will start from the middle of the second row. No one on the Holzhauer Racing Promotion (HRP) team is getting worked up about it anyway. And why should they? “We’re working together just like every weekend and not thinking about the standings. Otherwise, we’d just drive ourselves crazy,” says team boss Jens Holzhauer, adding: “We’ve checked the bike a thousand times over and, just to be safe, had a third engine approved by technical inspection.” Alt has won five races this year and secured four additional podium finishes.
Ilya Mikhalchik, also a five-time winner, will start from pole position. Hannes Soomer will line up next to him tomorrow. At the start of the second qualifying session, the Estonian sat relaxed in the pits for a full seven minutes, watching the competition’s lap times on the monitor before hopping onto his bright blue Honda. Toni Finsterbusch (GERT56) secured the third starting position. His teammate Patrick Hobelsberger was far from pleased with fourth place.
Vladimir Leonov (Hertrampf Yamaha Racing) was the fastest Yamaha rider in ninth place. Leandro Mercado (Kawasaki Weber Motos Racing) finished 14th on his green Kawasaki. Marc Moser (Triple M Racing Ducati Frankfurt) was the top guest rider, finishing 16th on his Ducati Panigale V4R.
Qualifying IDM Superbike:
1. Ilya MIKHALCHIK (UKR), BMW
2. Hannes SOOMER (EST), Honda
3. Toni FINSTERBUSCH (GER), BMW
4. Patrick HOBELSBERGER (GER), BMW
5. Florian ALT (GER), Honda
6. Jan-Ole JÄHNIG (GER), BMW
7. Bastien MACKELS (BEL), Yamaha
8. Philipp STEINMAYR (AUT), BMW
9. Vladimir LEONOV (UAE), Yamaha
10.Balint KOVACS (HUN), BMW