The first day of the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM) at the Nürburgring brought setbacks for two top riders in the Sportbike class. The battle for the championship has also been affected.
Svoboda Crashes – Title Hopes All But Gone
Petr Svoboda (WRP Racing) took a tumble on Friday afternoon during the second free practice session. The Czech rider crashed on just the second lap, causing significant damage to his bike. He, too, had to go to the medical center and was subsequently taken to the hospital for a check-up. The sobering result: “unfit to race” due to a broken finger. For the 22-year-old, the Nürburgring weekend is thus over prematurely.
It was particularly bitter: Before the race in the Eifel, Svoboda was still right in the thick of the title race, sitting in third place. Only 20 points separated him from the two leaders, Oliver Svendsen (Triumph Germany Racing Team) and Inigo Iglesias (Wematik Racing by RT Motorsports), who are tied for first in the overall standings with 169 points each. With the missed races, Svoboda’s title hopes are all but dashed.
Receives Penalty
Friday was not without its setbacks for Inigo Iglesias (Wematik Racing by RT Motorsports) either. The IDM stewards imposed a long-lap penalty on the Spaniard for the first race at the Nürburgring. The penalty stems from an incident at Assen three weeks ago: In the second race, Iglesias had been locked in a close battle with Svoboda in the closing stages. After the Czech driver attempted to pass in Turn 1, Iglesias cut back onto the racing line—the two made slight contact, Svoboda crashed, and Iglesias continued on.
Between Friday’s practice sessions at the Nürburgring, both riders had to address the situation once again. The IDM stewards determined that Iglesias was at fault for causing Svoboda’s crash—and a penalty was issued.
For Iglesias, the penalty should be manageable. With Svoboda out and Oliver Svendsen (Triumph Germany Racing Team) not yet fully recovered from his leg injury, the 23-year-old has an excellent chance to extend his lead in the title race. Svoboda, on the other hand, is forced to watch from the sidelines—and is losing valuable ground in the battle for the IDM crown.