Lennox Lehmann wants more than second and third places in the Euro Moto

In the Euro Moto Supersport class, Lennox Lehmann had finished third on the podium in each of the two previous races at the Sachsenring and at Brno in the Czech Republic, where the race results had been identical on both occasions. In the sweltering heat of Most, where temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius, things went a little better for the 20-year-old from Dresden in the first race on Saturday afternoon. He finished second behind his team-mate at the Dutch Apreco-Yamaha team, Dirk Geiger.

Lehmann’s best result of the season was initially followed by a disappointment in Sunday’s race. This had to be abandoned after four laps due to a crash involving Marcel Brenner, who required medical attention. By then, Lennox Lehmann – who had initially been back in second place – had already been forced to retire due to a technical fault. However, it was a blessing in disguise, as after the restart the race was halted once more, meaning it was not restarted a third time. Consequently, none of the other riders managed to score any points either.

Lennox Lehmann summed it up afterwards: “It had been a brilliant weekend right up until Sunday’s race. We’d made good progress and everything had worked well, despite the heat. My race on Saturday was good, but I made too many mistakes at the start. In the second race, we unfortunately had a technical fault, which can happen and is, sadly, part of the game. We can’t change that, although we were still lucky as the race ended with zero points for everyone. We got off lightly, but it’s still a shame overall because it could have been another podium finish.”

Anyone who knows two-time IDM Supersport 300 champion Lennox Lehmann knows that podium finishes alone don’t fully satisfy him. “Well, maybe you get used to it a bit after a while. Last year (finishing 8th overall with two fourth-place finishes as his best individual results, editor’s note), I would have liked it, but now I don’t think the placings are quite as good. That’s not enough for me anymore.” Does that mean there’ll be one or more wins this year? “That’s the plan.”

Different circuit, different motorbike, different series

This coming weekend, the Saxon will also be competing in the third race of the season in the World Endurance Championship at Suzuka in Japan. Speaking to SPEEDWEEK.com before his departure, which was scheduled immediately after crossing the finish line at Most, he remarked: “The EWC is certainly cool, but ultimately sprint races are better for me. But I’m a professional racer and that’s just one of my jobs. That’s not a bad thing, though. On the contrary. It’s fun, and the EWC isn’t just a championship for riders who are getting a bit on the age anymore. These days, the competition there is really tough and the standard is quite high.”

However, he doesn’t see himself being able to carry anything over from one series to the other. “That’s because, in the EWC, we’re naturally riding a completely different motorbike (the Yamaha YZF-R1 from Team Motobox Kremer Racing, ed.) and on different tyres. Nevertheless, it’s all brilliant and you’re back on a motorbike, which is important in general. I’m delighted to be taking part.”