It was a perfect day for the Swiss riders. After Domi Aegerter secured his first victory in the IDM Superbike class, Marcel Brenner, hailing from the capital city of Bern, Supersport in the smaller IDM Supersport class. Andreas Kofler and Luca de Vleeschauwer rounded out the podium. The podium featured two Ducatis and one Yamaha. Honda rider Dirk Geiger was once again left watching from the sidelines.
The situation after the first third of the 13-lap race was the same as yesterday in Supersport first Supersport of the weekend. Dirk Geiger (MCA Racing), Andreas Kofler (Yamalube Motorsport Kofler), Daniel Blin (AF Racing), Marcel Brenner (MotoLife), Marvin Siebdrath (Yamalube Motorsport Kofler), and Luca de Vleeschauwer (Track and Trades Wixx Racing Team) were locked in a tight battle. Behind them, there was a gap to the next group, led by Lennox Lehmann.
In the fourth lap, Brenner overtook Polish Ducati rider Daniel Blin. A few turns later, Blin lost control and slammed into the rear of Geiger’s Honda. Fortunately, the Mannheim native stayed on his bike, but Blin was the next rider to crash in the “Geert Timmermann bocht.”
Kofler capitalized on the situation and broke away. Geiger moved past Brenner. However, the 28-year-old Swiss rider fought his way to the front within three laps. And suddenly, Luca de Vleeschauwer—yesterday’s runner-up—was also in the mix. The group, now down to four riders, was really picking up the pace. Siebdrath had fallen far behind.
By the tenth lap, a light to moderate drizzle had begun to fall over the track. The race was called off. Race officials declared Brenner the winner, a result he could hardly believe. His first victory in the IDM Supersport. The Swiss rider can now breathe a sigh of relief: he’s back. He’s still got it. The tough road to recovery from the illness that had held him back for so long is paying off.
Kofler finished second and de Vleeschauwer third. Geiger offered his congratulations but was less than pleased with how Sunday had turned out, as he had lost further ground in the overall standings. Andy Kofler now has 177 points, Geiger 158, and de Vleeschauwer 148.
The emotional Belgian had hoped for more at the TT Circuit. For him, the red flag that ended the race came too soon: “Now I have to take an even bigger step forward in two weeks at the Nürburgring.” Winning the title is still very much within his reach.
“My strategy didn’t work out either,” says Kofler, “but in the first sector, with all that rain, it was like walking on eggshells. It was the right call to call it off before anything happened.”
IDM Supersport, Race 2
1. Marcel BRENNER (CHE), Ducati
2. Andreas KOFLER (AUT), Yamaha
3. Luca DE VLEESCHAUWER (BEL), Ducati
4. Dirk GEIGER (GER), Honda
5. Lennox LEHMANN (GER), Yamaha
6. Filip FEIGL (CZE), Triumph
7. Jorke ERWIG (GER), Ducati
8. Štepán ZUDA (CZE), Ducati
9. Ruben BIJMAN (NED), Honda
10.Marvin SIEBDRATH (GER), Yamaha
11.Julius Caesar RÖRIG (GER), Honda
12. Luca GÖTTLICHER (GER), Kawasaki
13. Richard IRMSCHER (GER), Honda
14. Julian VAN KALKEREN (NED), Yamaha
15. Dylan CZARKOWSKI (NED), Yamaha