It was a sizzling start to the season for the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM). It wasn’t just the weather that was at its best last weekend at the Motorsport Arena. Above all, the racetrack was the scene of a fireworks display of emotions.
Points were up for grabs for the first time in the three IDM classes. Every single race had spectators on the edge of their seats—from the young up-and-comers all the way to the top stars.
In the top Superbike class, the question of who could beat the official BMW factory team was answered. Over the past eight years, the team has won six titles. Lukas Tulovic (Triple M Racing Ducati Frankfurt) made his mark as early as the Superpole. In the battle for pole position, he was half a second faster than the rest with a best time of 1:23.905.
The 2023 champion and last year’s runner-up, Florian Alt (Holzhauer Racing Promotion), qualified for second place on his Honda. BMW junior Jan-Ole Jähnig (GERT56 by RS Speedbikes) secured third place on the front row. Thus, three different motorcycle brands were represented in positions 1–3. One thing was certain: the full lineup—featuring Ducati, Honda, BMW, Yamaha, and Kawasaki—would provide plenty of excitement.
IDM Superbike: Favorites Drop Out and BMW Takes the Lead
Events unfolded rapidly in the first race. Alt spun out violently after a mechanical failure. Tulovic also parked his red Diva on the side of the track just a few meters away, also due to a mechanical failure. Leandro “Tati” Mercado (Masteroil Alpha Van Zon BMW) had the season’s first victory handed to him on a silver platter. But the Argentine didn’t make it to the finish line either. On the penultimate lap, he slid off the track with his front wheel collapsed. After 18 laps, his teammate Hannes Soomer from Estonia won the race on the yellow-and-black BMW. The remaining podium spots went to BMW teammates Toni Finsterbusch and Jan-Ole Jähnig from Team GERT56 by RS Speedbikes.
The second race turned into a triumphant run for Ducati prospect Lukas Tulovic, who managed to pull ahead of the pack by 3.760 seconds. Alt was able to keep up with the Honda for a while, but Zanetti later caught up and took second place. Hannes Soomer had gradually worked his way up through the field over the course of the race and went elbow-to-elbow with Zanetti in the final meters, which earned him second place. The Estonian returned home as the championship leader with 45 points. Zanetti finished third, while Florian Alt missed the podium and finished fourth.
IDM Supersport: A Neck-and-Neck Race
In der IDM Supersport ging es ebenso hart zur Sache. Andreas Kofler (Yamalube Motorsport Kofler) landete einen lupenreinen Sieg im ersten Lauf. Lange kämpfte er aber gegen den energischen und ebenso forschen Honda-Fahrer Dirk Geiger (MCA Racing), der der gegen Ende des Rennens leider mit technischen Problemen zurückfiel. Im zweiten Lauf gab es für den Deutschen allerdings kein Halten mehr. Zwei Führungswechsel innerhalb von zwei Kurven, ein paar Berührungen, aber ein fairer Ausgang. Der Sieg ging am Ende mit 95 Tausendstelsekunden Vorsprung an Geiger. In den Genuss von Podiumsluft kamen auch die beiden Ducati-Fahrer Luca de Vleeschauwer (Track and Trades Wixx Racing) und Daniel Blin (AF Racing).
IDM Sportbike: Doppelsieg für Svendsen
Oliver Svendsen proved to be a standout on the Triumph Daytona 660 in the new IDM Sportbike class, the successor to the former junior class, IDM Supersport . Austrian rider Luis Rammerstorfer (Team Freudenberg) secured pole position but botched his start in the first race and finished third. At the front, there was a relentless battle between Aprilia rider Petr Svoboda (WRP Racing) and Svendsen, who struck on the final lap. This made the 21-year-old Dane the first IDM Sportbike winner. In the second race, Rammerstorfer—leading the pack—had his sights set on the biggest trophy—until his motorcycle’s chain snapped. Svoboda was now in the lead, but Svendsen wasn’t done yet. A brutal highside and a neck-and-neck race decided the outcome: a 0.033-second advantage for Svendsen. German rider Justin Hänse (Motorradtke GYTR by Penz 13) had held his own on his Yamaha to finish third.
“That was the kind of start we were hoping for,” says series manager Normann Broy, “the drivers fought tooth and nail, and despite many close maneuvers, we saw absolutely fair racing. That also applies to the two guest classes, the ADAC Junior Cup and the Northern Talent Cup. Spectators are enjoying what we have to offer, and we’ve gained new fans, as the pit walk through the pit lane showed.”
The next IDM event will take place from May 30 to June 1, 2025, at the Schleizer Dreieck. Held at Germany’s oldest natural race track, the IDM is a popular festival that draws around 30,000 visitors.
