IDM Oschersleben: One victory and the lead!

The winter break for the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM) lasted eight months before the 2025 season finally got underway last weekend at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, with the hunt for points and trophies resuming. With a new name and a new look, but with the same motivation as ever, the most successful team in the series, led by team boss Werner Daemen from Belgium, was back on the Superbike grid. This year, Team Masteroil-Alpha-Van Zon-BMW will be fielding Argentinean Leandro Mercado, Estonian Hannes Soomer, Dutchman Milan Merckelbagh, and Hungarian Bálint Kovács in the race for the championship crown.

Leandro Mercado is in his third season in the IDM Superbike and his first year on a BMW after numerous successful years in the Superbike World Championship. “I would have liked to have been on the front row,” he said after finishing fifth in Superpole 2 with a lap of 1:24.527. “Last year, I would have needed binoculars to get that spot, so I’m happy that I managed a lap in the 1:24s. We’ll make a small change for the race, and then it will all come down to the race pace over the distance.”

Until the penultimate lap of the first race, it looked like a perfect start for the Argentinean. He had left some of his rivals up to four seconds behind him, but then had to contend with declining tire grip towards the end, while his teammate Hannes Soomer was closing in behind him. There was no more battle, though. Mercado crashed over the front wheel. “He wasn’t hurt,” assured team boss Werner Daemen, “maybe his ego was a little bruised. All the riders had to contend with fading tires. The right side was particularly affected, but he crashed over the left side.”

The BMW was badly damaged and the mechanics had to work hard to get everything ready for the start of the second race. Mercado came through the second race unscathed, but wasn’t really happy with his seventh place finish. “No, that wasn’t the Sunday I had imagined,” he admitted frustratedly. “In the first race, it was clear that I had to be careful in right-hand corners, but I never expected the front wheel to go away at that point. In the second race, the bike just wasn’t the same and my feeling was completely different. Especially in the long corners, it felt strange at the front and I was also a bit slower than in the morning.”

Hannes Soomer switched to a BMW last year and was already using Daemen technology. Now, with his World Championship experience under his belt, Soomer is fully integrated into the Masteroil-Alpha-Van Zon-BMW team and feels right at home in his new workplace. He secured fourth place on the grid for his debut. “I’ve ended up in the best team in the IDM,” Soomer is well aware, “of course, such a large team is something new. Last year, we were just a handful of people, and here you say ‘good morning’ what feels like 100 times. But I brought my crew chief Marko Rothlaan with me, and he knows and understands me and my riding style.”

In the first race, the Estonian once again demonstrated his nerves of steel. He didn’t let the turbulence at the start of the race rattle him and just did his thing. Initially, he wasn’t quite within striking distance of the lead, but he was on course for a podium finish right from the start. Soomer’s tactics paid off over the distance. Especially towards the end, the BMW rider was able to build up some serious pressure at the front. When the leader, Leandro Mercado, slipped off the front wheel and crashed out of the race, there was no stopping the Estonian, and his first victory of the season was his. “It was such a shame for Tati Mercado,” was the first thing Soomer said after his victory, “he was super fast and led 99 percent of the race. I could already feel him getting closer. The grip wasn’t so great at the end, but I was able to manage it. A win like this is obviously the best way to start a season.”

His tactics were similar in the second race. He held back at the start and had the necessary reserves at the end, which secured him second place. And not only that, the Estonian now also leads the championship for the time being. “I was a little surprised myself at the end,” he admitted at the finish. ”I didn’t feel so good at the start with a full tank and the bike was moving around a lot. The last five laps were similar to the morning. I took advantage of my strengths wherever I could. It was a perfect start to the season, and we’ll continue like this in Schleiz.”

Milan Merckelbagh represents the junior division in the Masteroil-Alpha-Van Zon-BMW team. The Dutchman had already proven himself last year, and his success curve rose steeply in 2024, supported by Werner Daemen. The 24-year-old had completed his debut year with just two mechanics and his uncle on the track and impressed with good results. The logical next step was a transfer to the championship-winning team. In his first IDM race with his new team in Oschersleben, Merckelbagh made it straight into Superpole 2, where he ultimately secured 13th place on the grid.

The Dutchman was all smiles after the first race and a fantastic seventh place. He even received points for sixth place thanks to a guest rider. “I had a really good pace,” he said happily, “unfortunately, I had a bit of arm pump at the end, which made it difficult for me to attack again. But it was a good race, I’m on the right track and happy with the points.

The youngster crossed the finish line in eleventh place in the second race. Satisfied? Yes. Happy? Not yet. “My start wasn’t great,” said Merckelbagh, “but my pace was very good. My arms weren’t as bad as in the first race, and I was able to attack well on the brakes at the end. I’ve made a good start to the new season with these two races. My pace was good and my positions were okay. But I want to finish in the top eight, or better still in the top five. I’ve made a good start.”

Bálint Kovács had to watch the race from his sofa at home. The Hungarian broke his collarbone in the run-up to the race and will not be able to compete in the 2025 IDM until the next round. Máté Számadó took over the BMW instead. But that wasn’t all. The Masteroil-Alpha-Van Zon-BMW team’s pit was well filled on the opening weekend, as Pro Superstock 1000 riders Ricardo Brink (NL) and Julius Ilmberger, whose official season does not begin until the end of the month, were also there as IDM guest riders and delivered impressive results.

The IDM journey continues for the Masteroil-Alpha-Van Zon-BMW team from May 30 to June 1, 2025. The destination is the Schleizer Dreieck.