For Patrick Werkstetter, the last two weeks have been a nightmare. It all started with a stomach virus that forced the 19-year-old to withdraw from the season opener of the FIM Sidecar World Championship, scheduled for April 18–20 in Le Mans, France. It would have been his debut in the World Championship. But what happened next was something no one could have even begun to imagine.
Luca Schmidt, who had actually planned to start his first World Championship season alongside Patrick Werkstetter, suddenly found himself alone on the racetrack in France. But then a surprising opportunity arose for the two-time IDM champion: He was able to step in for Marcel Fries and race alongside Markus Schlosser, the 2021 world champion. The two teamed up, finished second in the sprint race, and took the win in the main race. In the end, they returned as the World Championship leaders. A few days later, Luca Schmidt decided to switch teams and continue the season alongside Schlosser. For Patrick Werkstetter, this meant he was now without a co-pilot.
Shortly before the next race weekend at the Sachsenring, the solution came via a phone call: “We learned about Valentin Pirat through Harry Payne and Kevin Rousseau,” explained Patrick Werkstetter. Shortly thereafter, they decided to give it a try together this season. Pirat is no stranger to sidecar racing: In 2023, he finished as runner-up in the Promo-Sport class and also competed in several World Championship races in Claude Vinet’s sidecar.
The two had their first joint practice session on Friday at the Sachsenring. They promptly finished ninth, placing them in the top 10. “We clicked right away, and that showed on the track,” said Werkstetter, pleased with the result of their first outing. When it comes to communicating outside the sidecar, however, they use “hands, feet, and Google Translate,” Werkstetter reveals with a chuckle.
For the trained bricklayer from Zeilarn, competing at the Sachsenring is a first. It’s both his first race weekend in the World Championship and only his second as a sidecar rider. Previously, he competed as a passenger alongside Markus Venus. “I always wanted to drive myself someday, and now, thanks to Team Sattler, I’m able to do just that,” explained Werkstetter, who lives just a stone’s throw away from Bavarian Josef Sattler.
In the first qualifying session on Friday, the newly formed team finished in 13th place. Their next steps will be decided today during the second qualifying session on Saturday morning at 10:15 a.m., before they compete in their first joint sprint race at 2:45 p.m. Spectators can watch the sidecar spectacle for free via the IDM live stream at www.idm.de/live.