Oliver König—for many observers, that name is still new in the IDM Superbike series. We’ll reveal who he is and why the Czech rider will be juggling two commitments this coming weekend at the third event of the season. One involves Ducati, and the other will actually involve saying “I do.”
Oliver König, born on March 18, 2002, and living in Prague, is actually no stranger to the scene. However, he celebrated his greatest successes in the Supersport . 2021 was his best year in the class. He scored 64 points, and at his home track in Most, König climbed onto the third step of the podium.
In 2022, he competed in his first full season in the Superbike World Championship. The transition from the small 300cc class to the top category was enormous and also arduous. All of a sudden, König had to handle four times the engine power, and at 20 years old, he was also the youngest rider in the entire field. He has joined the Hertrampf Racing Team for the 2024 season in the top class of the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM). There, he will ride the Ducati Panigale V4R.
Team manager Denis Hertrampf views the current season internally as a development year, as he recently mentioned. “Since the motorcycle has changed significantly since 2019 and the electronics are completely new to us, we’re not setting our expectations too high for the first few races. Our plan is to get to know the Ducati this year and improve our performance with it, so that we can be successful with it in the IDM Superbike series in the long term.”
The next IDM event is scheduled for this coming weekend, June 21–23, 2024, in Most. We spoke with Oliver König, the only Czech rider in the IDM Superbike class, about it.
What do the races in Most mean to you?
Since they’re taking place on my home track, I’m trying to take everything surrounding them a little more in stride. The race weekend is complicated by a wonderful event—my sister’s wedding on Saturday, which I’d like to attend. So after qualifying, I’ll have to go to a wedding. I won’t be back until Sunday, just before the warm-up. It’s going to be a bit hectic, but I don’t want to miss this family celebration. It means a lot to me, too.
How would you describe the track at the Most Autodrome, and what is most important for a driver to achieve a good result here?
The track in Most is very nice; it has technical, fast, and flowing sections. It has a little bit of everything. But there are also tricky spots, and if you make a mistake there, you can ruin your entire lap. It also depends on which category you’re racing in. At Most, it’s important to find your rhythm and the right braking points—and to drive every lap the same way.
What potential do you see in the new Ducati?
Unfortunately, I haven’t crossed the finish line even once in the four races so far. Once it was my own riding mistake, and then I was forced out three times due to a technical issue. I hope the bad luck that’s been following me for a while will leave me behind at Most. The Ducati definitely has potential. You just have to get a handle on the bike first. We started from scratch.
