In December, Karsten Wolf had just celebrated the winners of the IDM classes at INTERMOT in Cologne. And he was excited that the new EURO MOTO series was set to become even more international. One month later, the head of the GERT56 team has passed away. “KW,” as he was known, died on January 17, 2026, following a brief but serious illness. He was 61 years old. EURO MOTO writer Anke Wieczorek pays tribute to him on behalf of the entire event team.
Dear KW,
Your death took us all completely by surprise and left us speechless. You were always the first to speak up whenever there was something to be said. You were by far the most talkative team boss in the paddock, talking nonstop. Your last press release alone was five pages long. Luckily, you had warned me via WhatsApp. It feels so strange that all those moments are now just memories.
Your passion for racing was phenomenal. You were open to discussing anything and everything—and people had to. Sometimes you would have liked to change the rules. But that wasn’t possible. Still, as a major figure in the field, you at least spoke your mind straightforwardly. When you felt wronged, you could hold a grudge like an elephant. But eventually, things would be fine again. That’s just how you were.
You loved the sense of harmony in your BMW team. That feeling of being a family was important to you. Whenever I visited you in the GERT56 pit, you always offered me something to eat or drink, and there was always a chair for me to sit on. You spoke to me openly because we could rely on each other. Maybe it also helped that we’re originally from the same town. That way, you know what makes the other person tick. In every way.
When I visited you at the team headquarters in Pirna, you proudly showed me every single motorcycle. I was deeply impressed by how someone working full-time in sales could manage to get a project like this off the ground on the side. What you built through your own initiative is a life’s work. You had so much enthusiasm and love for racing. That passion was what held the whole team together.
KW, you are and always have been a figure who has left his mark. Just think of your endurance race victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Bol d’Or. That’s where you made your name. And how brilliant is it that you arranged the deal with Marcel Schrötter as a rider for our new EURO MOTO team. Your cancer didn’t stop you from ensuring, in no time at all, that the Superbike team would continue even without you. Your passion for racing hasn’t waned even in the last few days, and you haven’t slowed down a bit. That’s how we know you, and that’s how we’ll remember you. You’ve written your very own chapter in the book of life, and that will remain.
The EURO MOTO team extends its deepest sympathies to the wife and daughter of Karsten “KW” Wolf, as well as to his family and friends, during this difficult time of loss. And I personally promise that I’ll really open the throttle the next time I drive past your house or the Feistenberg.
Anke, Bert, Normann, Nadine, Alexandra, Dino, Michel, Rowena, Colin, Stephan, Tommi, Eddie, Lukas, Danijel, Iris, Marcus, Karsten, Stefan
