Magnus Kristoffersen had actually planned to log just a few important kilometers at the Nürburgring on Thursday in preparation for the upcoming race weekend in the sportbike class. But the test day initially ended for the 19-year-old Dane with a broken engine and the prospect of a rather early trip home. Then it became clear what camaraderie in the paddock really means.
During the final stint of the day, the engine on Kristoffersen’s motorcycle broke down. Although he had a spare engine with him, he lacked the right tools and the helping hands needed to make the switch. So the Dane began packing up his things.
This didn’t go unnoticed by the rival team, ViVa Endurance by Peuker & Streeb. The team led by Tobias Kitzbichler checked in and decided on the spot: “We’ll help.” They had the necessary tools and manpower, so they got right to work. About two hours later, the new engine was installed. “I had actually already expected that my weekend was over and that I’d have to head back home. The fact that another team just helped me out like that and we got the motorcycle running again is really amazing. I’m incredibly grateful for that,” Kristoffersen said happily.
For Sven Seidler of the ViVa Team, however, the gesture was almost a given. “If we have the chance to help, then we do it. To me, that’s part of racing. After all, we’re all in this together. We want to race or experience motorsports, and that means we should support each other in the paddock.”
They were rivals again on the track during today's practice sessions. Racing fairly against each other while still helping one another off the track: That, too, is what EURO MOTO is all about, according to Seidler.