Euro Moto News: World Championship debut, World Championship budget and a World Championship visit

Before the Euro Moto resumes at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben at the end of the month, numerous riders have been and continue to be active at other venues and are making plans for their immediate and long-term future.

World Championship debut for a Euro Moto team boss

What started as a bit of a joke over a beer last year led solo riders Thomas Eder and Thomas Gradinger to hatch a plan to try out a sidecar. No sooner said than done. Eder will no longer be competing in the full Euro Moto Supersport season in 2026, but will instead focus on his duties as team boss. Thomas Gradinger has retired from motorbike racing following a serious shoulder injury and is now working in the fitness sector. In Kevin Kölsch, Eder has found an experienced pillion rider who has already been able to give him valuable tips during several training sessions at the Pannonia Ring. Last weekend presented Eder with a welcome opportunity to clock up a few more laps at the Pannonia Ring alongside Patrick Werkstetter. Euro Moto Supersport rider Luca de Vleeschauwer joined Eder in the sidecar. Before Eder faces the elite of sidecar racing for the first time in Cremona (7–9 August), he will squeeze in another test session at the Slovakia Ring, and on the first weekend in August he will contest his first races in the International Sidecar Trophy at the Red Bull Ring. (Source: Helmut Ohner)

Marcel Schrötter (li.) im Gespräch mit Jack Miller

Foto: Schrötter

World Championship visit with a splint

Marcel Schrötter had brought back a painful souvenir from the World Endurance Championship round at Suzuka in the form of an injured left knee. Fitted with a splint, he nevertheless attended the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring. “My first visit to the race as a guest,” explained Schrötter, who has been competing in the Euro Moto Superbike series since this year. “I really enjoyed meeting so many friends and experiencing a great Motul Germany event. Thanks to all the fans who continue to support me and who came up to me for a photo.” Schrötter then watched the races from the comfort of his own sofa.

Lukas Tulovic

Foto: Thorsten Horn

World Championship recommendation following Italian outing

Last year, after winning the IDM Superbike championship, Lukas Tulovic made his debut in the Superbike World Championship on the Ducati factory team’s test bike. Tulovic is currently in the running for his first Euro Moto title. There are no plans for him to compete in the World Superbike Championship with his team, Triple-M Ducati Frankfurt, this year, as this would require a suitable World Championship machine. That is why the 2022 Moto2 European Champion has taken a different route. “We’ve tried very hard,” said Tulovic of his World Championship ambitions. “Coming from the IDM, however, it’s difficult even with a title win, because that isn’t the typical pool from which riders move up to WSBK. That’s why I’ll be competing in the Italian Championship at Misano next weekend; the idea behind it is to showcase myself on a different stage, in the hope that this will somehow pave the way for me to the Superbike World Championship. There’s a lot of movement in the rider market; there are a few from MotoGP who might potentially move to the World Superbike Championship. That doesn’t make it any easier for me to get there. And everyone wants to ride a Ducati, because the V4R is the benchmark. The situation is very difficult, but looking ahead, my next goal is to race there.” Tulovic will compete at Misano for Team B-Max, for whom Michael Ruben Rinaldi also rides and which has already made several – unsuccessful – wildcard appearances in the Superbike World Championship. “It’s not possible to buy my way in somewhere for several hundred thousand euros, so I have to earn a place through my performance – that’s what I’m trying to do,” said Tulovic. (Source: Schützbach/Fränzschky

Seven hours on a World Championship circuit

Whilst the motorcycling world was watching either the GP at the Sachsenring or the WorldSBK at Donington Park in mid-July, Milan Merckelbagh, Julius Ilmberger and Ricardo Brink were in Assen to take part in a seven-hour race. Merckelbagh usually competes in the Euro Moto Superbike, Ilmberger in the Pro Superstock 1000 Cup and Brink in the Superstock class of the BSB. The trio won the endurance race on the Dutch MotoGP and SBK World Championship circuit.