After six years, Swiss rider Emil Weber is leaving the IDM Superbike series and will focus exclusively on the Supersport class with his Kawasaki team in 2025.
“The effort involved is just too great,” noted the Swiss rider, who switched to a privateer team a year ago. “We would have received support from Kawasaki Germany for the Superbike class as well, but it wouldn’t have been any more than before, because now Patrick Hobelsberger has to save the day for the second official team, SKACH-Kawasaki. And to be honest, on the same scale as last year, it just became too much for me.”
Originally, two riders were scheduled to compete for Team Kawasaki Weber Racing: Leandro “Tati” Mercado and Johann Flammann, the rookie who had moved up from the Pro Superstock Cup. But when the runner-up suffered a laceration at the season opener at the Sachsenring, his Superbike season was over before it had even begun. No replacement rider was brought in.
In the Supersport class, Kyle Smith and Jorke Erwig were in the lineup. The Brit narrowly missed the podium at Oschersleben.
Now everything is back to square one. What is certain for 2025: Kawasaki Weber Racing will field two 636cc Ninja ZX-6Rs with liquid-cooled 4-stroke inline-four engines in the IDM Supersport class. One rider is all but confirmed, but will have the opportunity to test the bike before signing the contract. According to Weber, he is no stranger to the scene. The second rider spot is still completely open.