IDM Ride to Valencia – Old Fastest / IDM Superbike

Drivers from different countries and different championships met on the GP track in Valencia, Spain. For some IDM pilots, this was also the first location decision after the long winter months. A few old friends met up.

The fastest man after three days was current IDM Superbike champion Florian Alt, who set the first time with a time of 1:32.885. The Honda driver had already extended his contract with Jens Holzhauer’s team last year and will again participate in the World Endurance Championship, which starts next weekend in Le Mans, for the Viltais team, also with Honda.

In second place in the overall table in Valencia was Patrick Hobelsberger and the BMW of the GERT56 team. The Bavarian, who had already spent a few weeks in Spain in the winter, continued with a time of 1:33.073 minutes, which he had set in the first two days, and was therefore only 0.188 seconds slower than Alt. The gap should be clear that the decision of the title of IDM in 2024 will also go through the two, among others. “The Valencia IDM race camp is over,” announced Hobelsberger after two days of testing. “I finished both days with P1 and with a new personal best in Valencia, 1:33.0 minutes. Thanks to the team for their hard work, we tried a lot of new chassis things, very happy. Some work on the electronics with Ronny helped so much for the lack of holding the course this time and we collected important data for such situations throughout the season. I can’t wait for the season to start!”

Ukrainian Ilya Mikhalchik from the Champion-alpha-Van Zon-BMW team is undoubtedly one of the favorites again. But the three-time IDM champion was not present in Valencia, but trained alongside his BMW teammates, including Markus Reiterberger and BMW newcomer Hannes Soomer.

With Toni Finsterbusch and Jan-Ole Jähnig, the GERT56 team was at the very beginning in Valencia. The two finished with a time of 1:34.241 and 1:34.260 respectively. minutes, 3rd and 4th place. Eighth place went to Thomas Gradinger using 1:34.730 minutes. The Austrian will be supported by Yamaha Germany in the future and dares to switch from IDM Supersport to IDM Superbike. In eighth place, Gradinger was also the fastest Yamaha rider among the 46 Supersport and Superbike riders who took part in Valencia.

Leandro “Tati” Mercado, the fastest Kawasaki, was just behind, 0.080 seconds behind. The Argentine, who recently became a father for the first time, still had a lot of work to do in his second attempt with Emil Weber’s team. After a year with Wilbers spring components, the team from Switzerland switched to components from Öhlins.

Jörg Teuchert, a relative of the past, who, in addition to the IDM Superbike title, also holds the Supersport World Championship title since 2000, was among the current IDM pilots. The Franconian, who has managed to run a bicycle shop in Hersbruck for years, still managed 1:37.985 minutes and therefore took the place of 28 thousandth behind he continued in the IDM, but not with the member of the IDM, but with the promoter Danijel Peric, who is on the way to hole and microphone on behalf of Radio Viktoria during IDM operation.

Testzeiten Valencia

1. Florian Alt (D), Honda CBR 1000 RR – 1.32.885 minutes
2. Patrick Hobelsberger (D), BMW M 1000 RR – 1.33,973 minutes
3. Toni Finsterbusch (D), BMW M 1000 RR – 1:34.241 minutes
4. Jan-Ole Jähnig (D), BMW M 1000 RR – 1.34.260 minutes
5. Peter Hickman (GB), BMW M 1000 RR – 1.34,44 minutes
6. Alberto Ferrandez (SP), Moto2 Boscoscuro, 1.34.529 minutes
7. Rory Skinner (GB), BMW M 1000 RR – 1.34,535 minutes
8. Thomas Gradinder (A), Yamaha R1 – 1.34,730 min
9. Leandro Mercado (ARG), Kawasaki TX 10R – 1.34,810 minutes
10. Christophe Ponsson (F), BMW M 1000 RR – 1.34,874 minutes
11. Joe Talbot (GB), Honda CBR 1000 RR
12. Ville Valtonen (FIN), BMW M 1000 RR
13. Nikki Tuuli (FIN), Ducati V2
14. Mathieu Gines (F), Yamaha R1
15. Alex Schacht (DK), Ducati V4 R
16. Max Toth (USA), Kalex Moto2
17. Twan Smits (NL), Yamaha R6
18. Milan Merckelbagh (NL), BMW M 1000 RR
19. Kamil Kerzmien (PL), BMW M 1000 RR
20. Davey Todd (GB), BMW M 1000 RR