The first free practice session of the FIM/IDM Sidecar race in Oschersleben ended with a loud bang for Patrick Werkstetter and Valentin Pirat (Team Bonovo Action/Sattler Motorsport/ARS Yamaha). At the end of the start-finish straight, a tire on Werkstetter’s sidecar burst at high speed. The sidecar lost control and skidded into the gravel trap. While passenger Valentin Pirat remained uninjured, Werkstetter was taken to the medical center. After a thorough examination, he was ultimately cleared to race again. “I’m fine so far—I just came away with a headache,” said Patrick Werkstetter regarding his condition. The exact cause of the tire failure could not be definitively determined this weekend.
While the young Bavarian is already back on his toes and waiting for his next race, the damage to the sidecar team is significant: The tire blowout completely destroyed the rear of the sidecar, making it impossible to participate in qualifying on Friday afternoon. “There’s not much left of the back,” said team manager Josef Sattler, commenting on the damage. He added: “But replacement parts are already on their way from Bavaria. As soon as they arrive tonight, we’ll start repairs right away.” If all goes well, the mechanics and Pirat will be ready to go again on Saturday in time for the second qualifying session at 10:15 a.m. The first race at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, part of the Sidecar Festival, will then begin at 4:05 p.m.
No matter how the weekend turns out, the plans for the coming year are already set. “We’ll continue with the same team lineup,” confirms Josef Sattler, who is determined to fight for the title in the International German Championship (IDM) next season and to be a contender in the World Championship (WC) once again. “We’re more than satisfied with this year and are confident that things will get even better,” the Lower Bavarian explains optimistically. To ensure optimal preparation, several test runs are planned in Mallorca during the off-season to rack up test kilometers. A new sidecar combination is already ready to go. But for now, the focus is on the final races this weekend in Oschersleben and in early November in Estoril.