IDM Nürburgring: Done it! Ilya Mikhalchik clinches title number 4

The International German Motorcycle Championship IDM entered the home straight of the 2024 season last weekend with a trip to the Eifel. At the sixth of seven events, the Champion-alpha-Van Zon-BMW team led by Belgian Werner Daemen was once again competing for the coveted championship points in the IDM Superbike. On the grid were Ilya Mikhalchik (Ukraine), Bálint Kovács (Hungary), Jan Mohr (Austria) and Philipp Steinmayr (Austria). Max Schmidt (Germany) had to continue his absence due to injury.

The main topic of the first day was not so much racing, but rather the persistent fog and the wet track. With few meaningful laps, a 30-minute free practice session on Saturday lunchtime in the dry led to the first and final qualifying session in the evening.

Ilya Mikhalchik had already completed a few practice laps at the Nürburgring before the IDM weekend in the Eifel to refresh his track knowledge. After all, it had been five years since his last IDM visit to the former GP circuit. While the Ukrainian kept a low profile on the wet Friday, he had to really push himself on Saturday to get the pole position he was aiming for. The gaps between his rivals were sometimes just a few hundredths. But on the last lap of qualifying, it was once again the Ukrainian who was able to catch up. He entered his name in the IDM annals with another pole position. But he could not rest on his pole laurels, as the competition was already waiting 0.047 seconds behind him.

The first race got off to a good start for Mikhalchik, but the competition, especially in the form of the Estonian Hannes Soomer, did not leave him in peace, but was a strong contender for the top spot. Soomer proved to be a tough nut to crack, which Mikhalchik only managed to crack on the last of 18 laps to cross the finish line as the winner once again. ‘In the first five or six laps, I was able to ride my race and pace as planned,’ he reported after IDM win no. 8. ’But then someone crashed and I saw the yellow and red striped flag, and I thought, oh, maybe an oil slick. There were also parts lying around and I had to go wide to avoid driving over them. Then Soomer came past and I had a look at it. And I started to think about it a bit. Don’t push too hard, don’t go over the limit. I had everything under control and started to push harder at the end. And I won. Thank you. Thanks to my team and the win also goes to my family who are here. Especially to my grandmother, who is here for the first time.’

There was even more to celebrate for the Ukrainian in race 2. Even if it wasn’t victory, but ‘only’ second place behind a hard-fighting Hannes Soomer, second place was enough for him to secure his fourth championship title ahead of time. ‘I had won the start, but then Soomer came past again,’ says the new champion, ’I waited, because it had become very hot in the meantime. I then got past again, but I had pushed my tyres a little too hard. I just wanted to finish and Hannes fought really hard. Second place is also good and I’m also happy for Hannes and his first win. I’ve won the championship and I’d like to thank my team. We were fast every weekend, no matter the conditions, the bike was always fantastic.’

Bálint Kovács had celebrated his 23rd birthday just a few days before travelling to the Nürburgring. It was the Hungarian’s first visit to the former Formula 1 circuit. ‘At first glance, the track didn’t seem difficult,’ he said beforehand, ’but the changes in tarmac and the difference in altitude make it a challenge.’ A challenge that the Hungarian also faced with few training kilometres, slips included. He completed his first laps in the rain. ‘The fog was so thick that we couldn’t see more than 50-100 metres, which was pretty dangerous with 200 hp engines,’ he said. The slip-up in qualifying. But Kovács was able to return to the track after a short repair and remained only seven tenths behind pole setter Ilya Mikhalchik.

The Hungarian did a perfect job in the two races. After the start, he was able to hold his own in the chasing pack both times and achieved two top ten results with 8th and 7th place. ‘I’m really happy,’ he said after an exhausting day. ‘It was my first time ever on the track, but I was able to deliver two strong races. I made a mistake in qualifying, but luckily I crashed with a lowsider and not a highsider. My crew was able to rebuild the bike and I then managed to qualify eleventh. The races were more than good, the pace was close to that of the top riders. I’d say that was a strong result on a new track without a test.’

But his thoughts also went to his team-mates Philipp Steinmayr and Ilya Mikhalchik. ‘I wish Phil, who had a bad crash in race 1, all the best,’ said Kovács, ’and of course my congratulations to Ilya on winning the championship.’

Jan Mohr travelled to the Nürburgring from Austria and moved up a whopping three places in the overall standings. Mohr was able to re-establish himself impressively in the championship, finishing 12th after an injury break of over a year. From qualifying to the final race, the Austrian was always in the top ten. On Sunday, he impressed with two sixth places.

‘It was a clear step forward,’ is how he describes his Nürburgring weekend in his own words. ‘From the first practice session, I felt more comfortable on the bike than I did last time out in Assen. Even in the wet conditions. I was only 0.6 seconds off pole time in qualifying. With that small gap, it was my best qualifying so far. It was extreme how many riders were in just one second. The races were both good. The first better than the second.’

‘I had to fight my way forwards a bit in race 1,’ he said. ‘At the end, I wanted to attack Florian Alt, but I made two mistakes in the first corner, which cost me seven or eight tenths. I was then back on track, but it didn’t work out. I set the second-fastest lap after Ilya Mikhalchik. In the second race, I had a good battle with my team-mate Bálint Kovács. But he was faster in the end. Everyone had the problem with the front tyre due to the high temperatures, but I probably had a little more. But I’m happy with the result.’

Philipp Steinmayr had swapped sunny Austria for the rainy and foggy Eifel. Steinmayr would certainly have liked to have clocked up more kilometres in practice at the unfamiliar Nürburgring, but the Saturday format with one free practice session and a 30-minute qualifying session suited him. Enough time to do some final set-up work and really get into the swing of things. At the end of the long day, Steinmayr was rewarded with tenth place on the grid.

In race 1, he was unable to convert his qualifying efforts into a tangible result. The normally so solid BMW driver ended up in the gravel. He then landed in hospital by helicopter and did not reappear for race 2. ‘I’m still being examined for a possible vertebra injury,’ he reported from hospital in the evening, ’otherwise I’m fine. But I don’t think I’ll be riding again this season.’

Werner Daemen was delighted with his protégé Ilya Mikhalchik and the crew about winning the title again. ‘Absolutely professional,’ said the team boss of Mikhalchik’s performance. ‘The start at the Sachsenring was not so good, but then things turned round 360 degrees. Ilya won or took second place. He didn’t make any mistakes, like a machine.’

After a short break, the Champion-alpha-Van Zon-BMW team will travel to the Hockenheimring from 20 to 22 September 2024 to celebrate the grand finale of the IDM. Preferably with a few more good results.

Results

IDM Superbike Nürburgring

IDM Nürburgring Superbike Qualifying

1. Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR), BMW 1.24,850 min

2. Jan-Ole Jähnig (D), BMW 1.24,897 min

3. Hannes Soomer (EST), BMW 1.25,061 min

8. Jan Mohr (A), BMW 1.25,469 min

10. Philipp Steinmayr (A), BMW 1.25,614 min

11. Bálint Kovács (HU), BMW 1.25,644 min

IDM Nürburgring Superbike Race 1

1. Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR), BMW

2. Hannes Soomer (EST), BMW

3. Toni Finsterbusch (D), BMW

6. Jan Mohr (A), BMW

8. Bálint Kovács (HU), BMW

DNF Philipp Steinmayr (A), BMW

IDM Nürburgring Superbike Race 2

1. Hannes Soomer (EST), BMW

2. Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR), BMW + 0,274 sec

3. Lorenzo Zanetti (I), Ducati 0,447

6. Jan Mohr (A), BMW + +2,722

7. Bálint Kovács (HU), BMW + 2,138

DNS Philipp Steinmayr (A), BMW

Overall standings IDM Superbike 12/14 Races

1. 258 Punkte Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR), BMW – CHAMPION

2. 177 Punkte Florian Alt (D), Honda

3. 148 Punkte Toni Finsterbusch (D), BMW

7. 99 Punkte Bálint Kovács (HU), BMW

11. 52 Punkte Philipp Steinmayr (A), BMW

12. 51 Punkte Jan Mohr (A), BMW

20. 13 Punkte Max Schmidt (D), BMW