Andreas Kofler won the sprint for pole position in the IDM " Supersport " at Most. The first race in the class takes place today. The defending champion from Austria will have to tend to his injuries until then to be in top form.
Andy Kofler (Yamalube Motorsport Kofler) wants to complete the 4.212-kilometer lap at the Autodrom—which is packed with twelve right-hand and nine left-hand turns—as quickly as possible. The 20-year-old Yamaha rider is still struggling to recover from his crash two weeks ago in Schleiz at 240 km/h. His shoulder, in particular, took a beating. “After qualifying, the pain really kicks in again,” he said, quickly retreating to the pits to treat his shoulder. It’s 26 degrees in the shade outside. Directly above the racetrack, the sun is blazing with full intensity.
But Kofler can’t afford to slip up. In Schleiz, Dirk Geiger snatched the overall lead from him, and Luca Vleeschauwer (Track and Trades Wixx Racing) also passed him on his Ducati. Although only two of seven events have been completed so far, Kofler will have to grit his teeth if he wants to keep his title hopes alive.
With Marcel Brenner (MotoLife), another serious contender has joined the fray. The Swiss rider is feeling better and better now that he’s overcome his burnout. “Last year was a really rough year for me,” the 27-year-old Ducati rider says, looking back, “Now, at the first two events, I had to get back into the swing of racing. Everything is getting better and better, and I feel better than I have in a long time.” Last year at the Autodrom Most, he competed in the World Supersport Championship and also made a guest appearance in the IDM here. Today, after qualifying, Brenner topped the timesheets in second place.
Dirk Geiger has secured third place on the grid. The Honda rider is in the form of his life and has won three of the four races held so far. It’s going to be interesting. Yamaha, Ducati, and Honda will face off on the front row. Not to mention, the Czechs are a force to be reckoned with on their home track and are always good for a surprise.
Richard Irmscher (Racingteam Irmscher) is set to compete in the first IDM “ Supersport ” race of his life. Last year’s Northern Talent Cup runner-up had to turn 16 before he could participate. That wasn’t the case at the season opener. And Schleiz was crossed off the list as a precaution, since his parents had reservations. The young rider was supposed to gain experience on a permanent racetrack first. Three weeks ago in Oschersleben, the Saxon from Burgstädt took the Honda for a test ride. Yesterday in Most, he crashed out of the race. Today he’ll start from 18th place. Now that the compulsory routine is over, it’s time for the freestyle. Things get serious at exactly 5:05 p.m.
Qualifying Results
1. Andreas Kofler (AUT), Yamaha
2. Marcel Brenner (CHE), Ducati
3. Dirk Geiger (DEU), Honda
4. Marvin Siebdrath (DEU), Yamaha
5. Štěpán Zuda (CZE), Yamaha
6. Daniel Blin (POL), Ducati
7. Melvin van der Voort (NLD), Ducati
8. Lennox Lehmann (DEU), Yamaha
9. Luca De Vleeschauwer (BEL), Ducati
10. Julius Caesar Rörig (DEU), Honda
11. Filip Feigl (CZE), Triumph
12. Jonáš Kocourek (CZE), Ducati