The season isn’t over just because it’s over. In an impressive 46-minute, 42-second film, GERT56 team boss Karsten Wolf offers an intimate glimpse into the inner workings of his racing team and looks back on the 2023 season. Powerful, honest words and emotions alternate with fast-paced images and cuts. “GERT56 – The 2023 Film” can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5-PmgpLx7w and is anything but a filler. The film is entertaining and authentic.
After the close-knit GERT56 team turned its back on the World Endurance Championship two years ago and ventured into uncharted territory in the IDM Superbike series, many predicted the end of the privateer team. Team boss Karsten Wolf, known as “KW,” saw things differently. “I basically just said, the family is still here—father and mother, brothers and sisters are sitting at the table; only the sons have changed. So the family is intact,” said the Saxon. And later he added: “We’ve brought in some new, fresh blood.”
Emotions run high in the interviews with riders Patrick Hobelsberger, Toni Finsterbusch, and Jan-Ole Jähnig. They are the stars of the film, in which “KW” serves as narrator, host, and commentator. The film leaves nothing out—neither Jähnig’s first encounter with the BMW Superbike nor Hobelsberger’s sensational debut, nor Finsterbusch’s recollection and return to the site of his serious crash in Schleiz, where he broke his pelvis. Almost exactly one year later, to the day, he finished on the podium at this very track.
The film alternates between dynamic and moving images of people working together toward a common goal—celebrating ten podium finishes in 2023, yet also accepting crashes, which they analyzed in detail to improve their performance. And it’s also about sponsors who share the same passion as the team and have become friends. “GERT56 – The Movie 2023” is a tribute to motorcycle racing.