The race weekend at the Schleizer Dreieck proved once again why it is considered the heart of the IDM: fast, demanding—and as unpredictable as ever. Rain, sun, and semi-wet tracks kept riders and spectators on the edge of their seats. The races not only delivered extraordinary racing drama and top-notch motorsport, but also shook up the championship standings.
IDM Superbike: Florian Alt Wins the Tire Battle
The first Superbike race began with what was arguably the biggest challenge of the weekend: After a downpour before the start, the track was partly wet and partly dry—the most difficult situation imaginable for tire selection. Some of the riders, including Florian Alt, Lukas Tulovic, and Leandro “Tati” Mercado, opted for slicks even though the track was still completely wet in places.
Early on, Hannes Soomer, Leon Orgis (ORM Racing Team), and Toni Finsterbusch (GERT56 by RS Speedbikes) battled for the lead on rain tires, while Alt (Holzhauer Racing Promotion), who had started from the pit lane on slicks, was in 16th place. As the track continued to dry out, Alt quickly picked up the pace, steadily worked his way forward, and took the lead on lap 15. In the end, the Honda rider stood atop the podium with a lead of over six seconds. Behind him, Lukas Tulovic (Triple M Racing Ducati Frankfurt) secured second place ahead of Leandro Mercado (Masteroil Alpha Van Zon BMW), who managed to overtake the opening-round winner, Hannes Soomer, shortly before the end of the race.
The second race featured an exciting 13-lap restart following a race stoppage. Tulovic took the lead, but Alt and Jan-Ole Jähnig (GERT56 by RS Speedbikes) were hot on his heels. In the end, Tulovic secured the victory, Alt once again put in a strong performance to finish second, and Jähnig rounded out the podium. With 70 points to his name, Tulovic significantly closed the gap on championship leader Soomer (Masteroil Alpha Van Zon BMW / 71 points), while Alt follows in third place with 58 points.
IDM Supersport: Dirk Geiger Extends Lead with Double Victory
Dirk Geiger (MCA Racing) showed his true class in both Supersport, celebrating a commanding start-to-finish victory in each. In the first race, he took the lead as early as the first lap and steadily extended his advantage. Daniel Blin (AF Racing) fought his way up to second place, while a thrilling battle for third place erupted.
Luca De Vleeschauwer (Track and Trace Wixx Racing) worked his way up from eighth on the grid and engaged in a fierce battle with Andreas Kofler and Marvin Siebdrath (both Yamalube Motorsport Kofler). After a collision on lap 13, the race was stopped. Race control used the penultimate lap as the official result but subsequently imposed a penalty on De Vleeschauwer, which secured Siebdrath a spot on the podium.
In the second race, Geiger continued his strong run and solidified his championship lead with a one-two finish. Behind him, Blin defended second place despite physical issues, while Melvin van der Voort (Track and Trace Wixx Racing) finished third with his first podium of the season. In the midfield, thrilling battles for position provided excellent entertainment. A spectacular photo finish decided fourth place, which Luca De Vleeschauwer claimed by a margin of just 0.033 seconds.
IDM Sportbike: Inigo Iglesias Surprises as a Replacement Rider
In the IDM Sportbike class, Inigo Iglesias (Freudenberg RoRa-Paligo Racing) caused quite a stir: The Spaniard, who joined the team as a replacement for the injured Luis Rammerstorfer, celebrated a one-two finish on his debut.
In the first race on Saturday afternoon, championship leader Oliver Svendsen (Triumph Germany Racing Team) held the lead for much of the race, but Iglesias applied pressure, eventually snatched the lead, and never relinquished it. Justin Hänse (Motorradtke GYTR by Penz13) rounded out the podium in third place on his home track. Ty Henriksen (Henriksen Racing) was particularly impressive, fighting his way up from 13th on the grid to fifth place.
In the second race, Iglesias remained unfazed by a race stoppage. After the restart, he dominated the field and cruised to a commanding victory. For Svendsen, the race ended early due to a front-wheel crash. Justin Hänse secured second place once again, while Ben Kugler (MotoLife) celebrated his first IDM podium finish with third place.
Series Manager Normann Broy Reflects
“The race weekend in Schleiz has once again shown why this track is so special. Challenging conditions, close battles, and thrilling finishes—the IDM offered the more than 30,000 spectators motorsports at the highest level. Florian Alt, Dirk Geiger, and Inigo Iglesias proved their class, but the season is still long and the championship remains exciting.”
Following the thrilling weekend in Schleiz, all eyes are now on Most: From June 20–22, the IDM will be visiting the fast World Championship circuit in the Czech Republic.