Racing News

Last weekend saw the BCC-alpha-Van Zon-BMW team of Werner Daemen and Andreas Gerlich reach the halfway point of the International German Motorcycle Championship IDM 2023. The journey had taken the Belgian-German team with its BMW riders Ilya Mikhalchik from Ukraine, Kamil Krzemien from Poland, Bálint Kovács from Hungary, Philipp Steinmayr from Austria and Max Schmidt from Germany to Thuringia to the Schleizer Dreieck. The races there are held on partly public roads and therefore posed special challenges for man and machine.   Ilya Mikhalchik again experienced the IDM in all its facets. After the first race, he went straight back to the pits with his visor down. Because the first race had had a few stumbling blocks in store for him at the Schleizer Dreieck. As pole sitter, with a top time close to the track record and an impressive performance in all the practice sessions, the BMW rider started…

The German-Belgian BCC-alpha-Van Zon-BMW team of Andy Gerlich and Werner Daemen has had an exhausting two weeks, filled to the brim with gripping motorsport at the highest level. After the successful detour at the World Endurance Championship in Spa-Francorchamps, the team found itself in the Czech Republic last weekend, where the third of seven rounds of the 2023 International German Motorcycle Championship took place at the Autodrom in Most. Also competing in the IDM Superbike: Ilya Mikhalchik (Ukraine), Kamil Krzemien (Poland), Bálint Kovács (Hungary), Philipp Steinmayr (Austria) and Max Schmidt (Germany). Ilya Mikhalchik had travelled to the Czech Republic with boosted self-confidence and fresh courage after his third place at Spa in the Endurance World Championship. After his zero result at the last IDM meeting in Oschersleben, the Ukrainian will have to put his BMW to the test if he wants to have a say in the IDM title. He…

Perfect conditions were offered to the riders and fans of the International German Motorcycle Championship IDM last weekend when the second round of the 2023 season started at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. On top of that, there was sunshine and a cloudless sky as well as exciting races and numerous spectators at the track. In the middle of it all was the top team BCC-alpha-Van Zon-BMW, led by Andy Gerlich and Werner Daemen, with its drivers Ilya Mikhalchik (Ukraine), Kamil Krzemien (Poland), Bálint Kovács (Hungary), Philipp Steinmayr (Austria) and Max Schmidt (Germany).   Ilya Mikhalchik knew even before the two races at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben that he would have to work hard to keep Florian Alt, his toughest rival in the fight for the title, at bay. In practice, he took second place on the grid with his personal best time of 1:24.969 min, and the BMW rider finished the…

The long wait finally came to an end last weekend. At the Sachsenring, where in four weeks Marquez and Co. will be meeting again at the German Grand Prix, the riders of the International German Motorcycle Championship started their 2023 season. The German-Belgian team BCC-alpha-Van Zon-BMW of Andy Gerlich and Werner Daemen also started in the IDM Superbike. All five riders of the BMW M1000RR were well prepared for the new points chase. With Ilya Mikhalchik from the Ukraine, Kamil Krzemien from Poland, Bálint Kovács from Hungary, Philipp Steinmayr from Austria and Max Schmidt from Germany, the championship team was represented in full team strength at the Sachsenring. Ilya Mikhalchik had swapped his tried and tested starting number 37 for 17. “I have become a different Ilya,” said the Ukrainian, who is currently living in Poland with his girlfriend, describing his personal transformation. “The 17 is my birthday. The other things…

Fans and riders will have to wait until the beginning of May for the first race of the International German Championship IDM 2023, but behind the scenes the course is already being set for a successful season in Germany’s highest motorbike sport predicate. Werner Daemen and Andreas Gerlich, responsible for technology, have agreed to continue working together and hopefully be just as successful as last year. With five riders, the rider line-up promises not only a lot of work, but also a lot of excitement and a lot of success. Back at the IDM start is Ukrainian Ilya Mikhalchik. An old acquaintance in the team and also on the IDM podium. The 26-year-old already has three IDM Superbike championship titles to his name. The objective is clear: to win title number 4. “For me it’s really nice, especially to see all the fans from Germany again,” he explains after a year…