The FIM Sidecar World Championship race weekend at the Pannónia-Ring has had painful consequences for two German sidecar teams. Both Patrick Werkstetter and Valentin Pirat (Bonovo Action/Sattler Motorsport/ARS Yamaha) and Lennard Göttlich and Lukas Krieg (Team Lausitz/ADAC Sachsen/ARS Yamaha) will have to sit out the upcoming races in Most, Czech Republic.
A Violent Crash in the Final Stages
Werkstetter/Pirat were in a promising position in the top 10 during the first race on Saturday evening—until the penultimate lap. In a left-hand turn, Werkstetter kept his foot on the gas too long; the rear end broke loose, and the sidecar team rolled over. “That went pretty badly,” Werkstetter commented honestly. The race was stopped with a red flag.
At the medical center, it quickly became clear that neither rider would be fit to compete in Sunday’s main race. Back in Bavaria, Werkstetter underwent a thorough examination on Monday. The results: an injured shoulder, deep abrasions, and a painful bruise on his hip. “The skin abrasions from my torn leather suit are bothering me the most right now,” Werkstetter reported on Tuesday. “But otherwise, everything’s fine.” Despite everything, he hasn’t lost his sense of humor. It’s still unclear how his co-pilot, Valentin Pirat, is doing. “His tailbone took quite a beating,” said Werkstetter—a final diagnosis is still pending.
Technical Setback for Team Göttlich
Saturday also ended with a bitter setback for Göttlich/Krieg (Team Lausitz/ADAC Saxony / ARS Yamaha). Their Yamaha sidecar’s engine blew up in the penultimate lap—for the third time this season. The cause is still unclear; now the priority is to investigate the cause before making a comeback. The duo plans to return to World Championship action only once the technical issues have been resolved.