Social media row over GERT56’s protest against HRP – here’s what the teams have to say

The Euro Moto weekend was no laughing matter for the five riders who crashed in the first Superbike race. Twan Smits suffered an engine failure in the early stages near Hasseröder, and alongside Smits, four other riders – Florian Alt, Markus Reiterberger, Toni Finsterbusch and Kevin Orgis – also crashed. In most cases, the motorbikes sustained considerable damage. Afterwards, it was a case of working quickly to get everything ready for the second race. Apart from Smits, who had injured his hand, everyone was back in action.

In the Euro Moto class, as in the IDM, the ‘one-bike rule’ applies. You can have as many spare parts as you like in the lorry, but a fully assembled motorbike is forbidden.

According to his own account, Jens Holzhauer had rebuilt Alt’s Honda in accordance with the rules, with the commissioners’ approval. Subsequently, the GERT56 team lodged a protest in accordance with the regulations. This was upheld, and Florian Alt was disqualified and stripped of the points for third place in Race 2. Jens Holzhauer decided, also in accordance with the regulations, to appeal against this decision, meaning the case will now go before the DMSB Court of Appeal.

Now, emotions are running high – particularly on social media – and comments are increasingly crossing the line. As a result, the two teams felt compelled to issue another public statement.

This is what Team GERT56 has to say

In light of recent events, we at GERT56 would like to comment on the protest and the ensuing public debate regarding Florian Alt’s disqualification at Oschersleben. We ask our fans not to post any below-the-belt comments directed at the opposing side. We and Team Holzhauer have spoken to one another and wish to emphasise together that this is nothing personal and that we are all focused on the sport.

Even following the reorganisation of our team leadership, fairness remains the value that this team stands for – both in our dealings with one another and in sporting competition. Rules are rules and apply to everyone to ensure a level playing field. As there is currently a great deal of speculation, we would like to make the following statement:

The Euro Moto Superbike regulations stipulate the ‘one-bike rule’. A replacement motorbike is not permitted. Following a total write-off, a replacement frame is only permitted if it has been pre-configured in accordance with the regulations and the rebuild meets the prescribed requirements. This was precisely what the race stewards were unable to confirm following their own inspection and several hours of deliberation. The decision was not taken by us, but by the DMSB as the competent authority.

We will say quite openly that we would actually be in favour of a replacement motorbike rule. Particularly following crashes such as the one at Oschersleben, this would provide greater safety for all teams. However, this rule does not currently apply and, as long as that remains the case, we must adhere to the existing regulations.

At no point was our protest directed against Jens Holzhauer or Florian Alt as individuals. It was also intended to support the teams on the grid who had adhered to the regulations. Fair play is our top priority, and the same rules must apply to everyone. Toni Finsterbusch with GERT56, Markus Reiterberger with BMW and Kevin Orgis with ORM Racing rebuilt their motorbikes in accordance with the rules under the same circumstances. It was clear to us that we had to stand up for these three riders.

We respect the appeal that has been lodged and leave all further matters to the relevant officials at the DMSB. We will not comment further on this matter publicly until a decision has been reached.

Your Team GERT56

A statement from Team HRP

The past race weekend has deeply affected our entire team. Following the crash in the first race, which was not our fault, our motorbike was no longer fit for racing. We were therefore in close contact with the DMSB and the race stewards from the very beginning. All work was carried out under their supervision and in direct consultation with them. Absolute transparency was a matter of course for us. Without the commissioners’ approval, we would not have been able to compete in the second race.

This makes our disappointment at the current developments and the protest lodged all the greater. This is particularly so because we ourselves considered lodging a potential protest against GERT56 on Friday, but ultimately made a conscious decision against it. For us, the sporting spirit was the priority at that moment.

Fairness, respect and sporting conduct towards one another are values we hold dear and will continue to uphold in the future. A huge thank you goes to our fans, partners and supporters. Your numerous messages and your support mean an incredible amount to our entire team. We will now present our case in the scheduled sporting disciplinary proceedings. After that, our full focus will return to what motor racing should be all about: the races on the track.

Your Team HRP