GERT56: Racing as a passion for one large family.

You have already been very successful in endurance racing, and have now transferred that success to the IDM. What makes you so strong as a team?

Wolf: “I think we still have an old-school approach to motor racing. We are among the last ones to compete at the highest level, but are doing this ‘on the side’. We remain a private team. Nobody in the team has an employment contract, the mechanics do it in their free time. This means that we do not have any conflicts of interest within the team. We must obviously still pay for the bikes, parts, tyres and fuel. That is what we need our partners and sponsors for. Internally, however, there are no financial interests. The result is that everyone is working towards a common goal, and common goals lead to collective action. Everyone is involved because they want to be involved, because they love it, and because they want to win races. Sympathy, friendship and fun are the only currencies I can pay with. Of course, that doesn't carry you into the big racing series in the world, but for a championship like the IDM we are optimally positioned with this set of values.”

Speaking of next season: You have a strong line-up for 2023. Toni Finsterbusch remains in the team and is joined by new team-mates Patrick Hobelsberger and Jan-Ole Jähnig. What can you tell us about the three riders?

Wolf: “That is exactly the mix that makes us special. I will start with the youngest, Jan-Ole Jähnig. We want to give a clear signal to develop and support young riders. We want to form the interface between Supersport and Superbikes. We want to give the young riders time and space to grow in a technically and logistically well-structured team. However, we are firmly convinced that Jan Ole’s talent and his abilities, with good preparation, can lead to the top ten of this high-quality field also already in the first year.”

“And between the two young guys, solid as a rock, we have Toni Finsterbusch. His season came to a premature end after a crash in Schleiz, which was no fault of his own, when he was third in the championship. Prior to that, he had twice finished runner-up. The race at Most was particularly impressive, where he showed against Leon Haslam and Markus Reiterberger that he belongs on the IDM podium. He has a lot of experience from a long career and impresses with his esthetic riding style and his bite on the brakes. If he finds back to last year’s form, anything is possible in terms of results! That is my full conviction.”

You have already touched on the topic of promoting youth. You have always supported talented youngsters. How important is that to you?

Wolf: “I think the biggest problem in German motor racing is grassroots support. In Jan-Ole, we have somebody who lives that better than anyone else. We have a basic support in place with Team Freudenberg, which runs through the 125, 300 and 600cc classes and into the 1000cc class. That is what needs to happen. The riders have to make their progress and experience in their classes. We team principals have to be in good contact at an early stage already and support the careers of the young riders and not hinder them with complicated contracts. The Freudenberg team, for example, does a very strong job of supporting youngsters in the small classes, and we are one of the teams that then takes these young riders on to the 1000 cc class. Finsterbusch and Jähnig are both ‘Freudenberg plants’. The cups of the various race organisers and the basic and junior classes that run as part of the IDM play an important role. We as big teams have to take a close look and come into contact with these talents.”

You have been loyal to BMW Motorrad since the team was formed, and remain so. Why is BMW your manufacturer of choice?

Wolf: “In Superbikes, it is the easiest way to partake in motorsport. We receive the Superbike, with which we can race successfully, from the ‘counter’ at the BMW Motorrad dealership. No other manufacturer offers such a package in terms of performance and equipment as the BMW S 1000 RR and later the BMW M 1000 RR have done since their launch. One element is the exceptional engine performance, which generates breathtaking riding data. We are running a production engine in the IDM, and are totally competitive with it. Secondly, you have the technical equipment – race ABS, traction control, wheelie control, the entire electronics package. Both the production model and the parts, which are supplied by BMW Motorrad as kit parts, are all purchased parts, which any motorsport fan can buy. We obtain these almost exclusively from BMW partner alpha Racing. Our bike, as it races in the IDM, has hardly any special constructions or specially manufactured parts. The biggest difference is in the chassis, where we use our own system with partner mototech SPV. Expensive base tuning, which is very problematic with regard to the risks in terms of durability and reliability, is therefore absolutely unnecessary. We ride in a high-performance field, with a production brake system that is the same as used by everyday customers on the road. We run a production frame, a production swing arm and a standard rim. That has always been our approach, and this large share of production parts has given us durability on the endurance scene. We had very few technical issues or DNFs. It is now the impressive engine and transmission performance that gives us the speed and performance we need to be successful in the IDM. The basis for the Superbike is very strong and the availability of parts is excellent. For us as a customer racing team, the collaboration with the partners we have at BMW Motorrad, in BMW Motorrad Marketing and BMW Motorrad Motorsport, is the easiest way to be involved in motorsport.”