Source: Yamaha Racing.

Team Yamaha MGM’s Damian Cudlin secured pole position for the IDM Superbike race at Zolder in Belgium over the weekend, eventually finishing with 5-DNF results on Sunday.

Technical issues with the brand new YZR-M1 interrupted Cudlin and teammate Max Neukirchner’s challenge for the top positions in the second race, resulting in two DNFs for the team.

“Obviously it was a disappointing race day for us, because the practices and qualifying had been so positive,” Cudlin commented. “The pole position was fantastic yesterday and Max was also in the front every time, so we expected a lot more from the race day.

“In the first race I made a big gamble with the suspension setting. I went in a different direction from Max, because I wanted to get the last bit that I was missing compared to him over the weekend in dry condition. However, it was the wrong way and my mistake. Fifth position in the first race is not where I wanted to be, but it was okay.

“For the second race I decided to go with the settings that the team suggested. I noticed immediately on the out lap that the feeling was good, but then we had a technical issues. It’s a pity, but this is racing and we’re booking progress all the time and I think that we learned something else again today.”

Cudlin had a good start and come through in third place after completing the first lap in race one, but was unable to hold his position. The Australian put up an impressive fight with Lorenzo Lanzi, but eventually had to give in to take fifth position over the line.

The second race again saw the Team Yamaha MGM teammates contend at the front of the field, but their challenge for the podium finished prematurely when technical issues had them retire from the race and prevented them from scoring more top results.

The results of the second round see Neukirchner in fourth place in the overall standings with 56 points, while Cudlin holds seventh position with 24 points.

Team Yamaha MGM now looks forward to coming back even stronger in two weeks time when the third round of IDM Superbike will form a part of the Deutsche Tourenwagen-Masters (DTM) schedule at the Lausitzring.

There were two Australians on the grid at Zolder, with experienced IDM campaigner Gareth Jones finishing the opening race in 10th and the second race in ninth.

2015 IDM Superbike Championship
Round two – Zolder, Belgium

Superbike race one results:
1. Markus Reiterberger
2. Xavi Forés
3. Max Neukirchner
4. Lorenzo Lanzi
5. Damian Cudlin (AUS)
6. Matej Smrz
7. Mathieu Gines
8. Lukas Trautmann
9. Roman Stamm
10. Gareth Jones (AUS)

Superbike race two results:
1. Markus Reiterberger
2. Lorenzo Lanzi
3. Xavi Forés
4. Matej Smrz
5. Mathieu Gines
6. Jan Halbich
7. Dominik Vincon
8. Roman Stamm
9. Gareth Jones (AUS)
10. Lukas Trautmann

Superbike championship standings:
1. Markus Reiterberger 100
2. Xavi Forés 68
3. Lorenzo Lanzi 57
4. Max Neukirchner 56
5. Matej Smrz 44
6. Jan Halbich 38
7. Damian Cudlin 24 (AUS)
8. Erwan Nigon 24
9. Gareth Jones 19

Click here for detailed results