Crane, Lantto, Martzaklis, Weikum and Braune on top in the abbreviated first day of the FIM-E NitrOlympX

A frustrating and long day at the Hockenheimring had some skatey conditions, long delays (largely not from the FIM-E bikes) and some visitors from the Planet Cloud to bring the curtain down with most classes having only completed a single qualifying session.

Stuart Crane leads the FIM-E Top Fuel Bike field after their single shot with a calm 6.511/205.88 from the Warpspeed funny bike. Somewhat distant in second is Crane’s team mate Mark Smith with a low seven. Only five bikes contested the first session so hopefully things will improve tomorrow.

Having been on PB form in Sweden at the start of August, Finland’s Marko Lantto continues in a consistent vein with a 6.816/214.08 to top the first day sheets in FIM-E Super Twin. The only other bike in the sixes currently is Per Bengtsson with a six ninety, but picking up a couple of handy qualifying points for the championship chase.

FIM-E Super Street Bike has an unfamiliar look to it at the moment with Greece’s Ioannis Martzaklis currently low with a 7.203/202 from his Casper Racing Hayabusa.  Rudi Zorzi and Brad Head follow with mid sevens, representing Italy and the UK respectively, with the prime championship contenders someway off picking up any ‘little points’ in the only session for the class today.

Karl-Heinz Weikum has an affinity with his home track and not for the first time heads the FIM-E Pro Stock Bike field with a 7.359/186 from his Suzuki in the second session (the class being the only one to complete two qualifiers before a brief shower ended the day). Greece’s Dimitrios Petridis is currently in second with a 7.437, closely followed by compatriot Pavlos Sidiropoulos at 7.488.

FIM-E Junior Drag Bike is the second class to be led by a German, with Leif-Erik Braune maintaining his cool when faced with a number of Christmas tree issues before clocking a +0.054 on a 8.10s dial-in to head the next generation field.

Hopefully delays will be minimised tomorrow and there will be scope for improvements across the board in what is a pivotal and penultimate event on the 2025 tour.

Text and photos: Ivan Sansom & Rose Hughes