Warm and dusty conditions held out all weekend for the teams, with muddy patches adding extra challenges. The YXZ1000R outfits, divided into the Stock class for standard models and Open class for modified vehicles, competed across 10Km of forest tracks, split into races of 30 minutes and 60 minutes.
Open class leader Thomas Ziegltrum set the best time in practice, followed by Stock drivers Bernd Schumacher and Jens Albrecht. Schumacher suffered major driveshaft issues on day one and was forced to withdraw from the weekend, while Albrecht, showing great pace in practice in his sport shift model, was able to take second in the final race and overtake Peter Linné for third in the championship.
Despite his pace, Ziegltrum suffered an unfortunate technical issue on the first day and could not finish the first race. In the Stock class Böhnke was immediately on winning pace, taking the win in the first race before a non-finish in the second race. Two further victories in the third and fourth races however mean Böhnke finished his season as the class of the field as he heads to the Superfinale in October.
Zielgtrum returned in fine form for the second Open race, taking the win and sealing title victory in the Germany Cup Open class. Consecutive wins in the third, fourth and fifth races stamped his mark on the Open class and a bode well for his entry in the Superfinale. After a thrilling campaign in the 2019 Yamaha YXZ1000R Germany Cup, all competitors are looking forward to returning for the 2020 edition.
For Stock and Open champions Böhnke and Zielgtrum there is one more event to contest in the 2019 YXZ1000R European Cup, the Superfinale in Portalegre, Portugal on 24-26 October. The Superfinale brings together all of the champions from the seven nations taking part in the European Cup, with each champion receiving an automatic entry to the event. Racers will have the opportunity to compete against the best YXZ1000R racers in Europe, and contest winner’s prizes including entry to the 2020 Merzouga rally and a brand new YXZ1000R.
Drivers competing in the 2019 German, Italian, French, Portugese, Spanish, UK or Israeli national cups can register their own entry for the Superfinale online, by visiting www.yamaha-racing.com/yxz1000r-cup/register.
