The Yamaha bearing the number “47” stands abandoned against the wall in the SWPN team’s pit. And that’s how it will stay. Its rider, Rob Hartog, is no longer on the starting grid at Hockenheim. The Dutchman had originally planned to celebrate the end of his career with a grand farewell at the Motodrom in Baden. But instead of riding the SWPN Yamaha, the 32-year-old is sitting at home on the couch with his heavily pregnant girlfriend.
At the last event at the Nürburgring, he was forced off the track when Martin Vugrinec braked too late. In the gravel trap, Hartog, overcome with emotion, physically assaulted the Croatian rider on multiple occasions. Race officials imposed a 250-euro fine, and the case was referred to the DMSB Sports Court. Hartog was suspended for the IDM finale at Hockenheim. In his 14-year career, the Yamaha rider had never previously been in the news for the wrong reasons.
Hartog notes that Vugrinec has pushed him off the track before, and he is having a hard time accepting his penalty. He has raced in the Supersport during his career and was the Dutch Supersport Champion. He spent several years in the IDM and finished third overall in the Superbike class in 2022.
According to the doctors’ estimates, Hartog’s girlfriend is due to give birth to their baby two days after the Hockenheim finale. In the future, the former Superbike rider’s life will take place off the racetrack. “I have the opportunity to advance at the company where I work. That’s not possible if I continue racing. It simply takes up too much time,” says the Dutchman. “I’ve thought about retiring every now and then, that at some point it would be time, but I kept putting it off. But now the time has come.” Just not the way he had imagined it.
