Damian Cudlin and his BMW Motorrad France Team came painfully close to being crowned World Champions for the first time at the final round of the Endurance World Championship inQatarlast weekend but were forced to watch the title slip from their grasp and into the hands of reigning champions Suzuki Endurance Racing Team.

The season’s finale was billed as a title showdown between these two teams and that’s exactly what occurred when the pair went head to head in the Qatari desert. Fans witnessed one of the most nail biting endurance races in recent history, where the title of champion remained undecided until the very last lap.

The betting money had been on BMW Motorrad France’s line up of Damian Cudlin, Sebastian Gimbert and Erwan Nigon, who completely dominated the weekend’s proceedings, topping every practice and qualifying session on their way to a convincing pole position time that shattered the previous record. SERT however looked noticeably shaky in the lead up to the race, losing Japanese rider Daisaku Sakai to injury, then suffering another hard crash from Vincent Phillipe on their way to qualifying a distant 4^th.

As the race began in hot and humid conditions, Frenchman Gimbert rode the opening laps cautiously before picking off his rivals with relative ease and moving to an early lead. Gimbert proceeded to pull away from title rivals SERT, however the Yamaha Austria Racing Team substitute Katsuyuki Nakasuga began making the BMW Team nervous as he clung desperately to Gimbert’s rear wheel. The deepest fear of the BMW Motorrad France Team became a reality on lap 12 when the YART rider attempted a desperate overtaking manoeuvre, crashing in the process and taking the innocent Gimbert with him as the pair tumbled into the gravel trap. The BMW box erupted with emotions directly after the incident as Gimbert returned to the pits for substantial repairs.

The crew worked frantically on the #99 machine, as the sums were immediately crunched by the BMW tactical crew. While all hopes of the title seemed to be dashed, the team returned to the track in last position and 3 laps behind new leaders, SERT.

What occurred next shocked most of the EWC paddock, as the BMW trio put on a powerful display of speed and consistency, lapping faster than anyone else for the remainder of the race. The team made an astounding comeback and with just an hour of the race remaining, the “would be champions” caught and passed title rivals SERT and took over 2^nd place. It was still not enough though, as they needed to win the race, with SERT 3^rd to claim the title, which meant catching race leadersGMT Yamaha, still a full lap ahead. Charged with the final rotor, Nigon put in an incredible performance, shattering the lap record and fighting with every ounce of energy left.

In the end, it just wasn’t enough, and the GMTYamaha claimed victory by just 30 seconds. The BMW Motorrad France Team of Gimbert, Nigon and Cudlin finished a close 2^nd to the applause of the entire EWC paddock. SERT claimed the final step on the podium and with it the 2011 Endurance World Championship.

“It’s obviously disappointing. I don’t think anyone could understand what it’s like to lose like this unless they’ve been through it themselves” Cudlin admitted. “We were so close. We did everything right this weekend; we just suffered cruel luck when Nakasuga crashed into us. There are lots of moments that make up a season, but there’s no question that Nakasuga’s error cost us the world championship. Something like this is pretty hard to take for all of us.”

The BMW Motorrad France Team finished just 4 points behind reigning champions SERT who claimed the Endurance World Championship for a record 11^th time.

“Even though we’re all disappointed right now, I’d like to thank the entire BMW Motorrad France Team for their huge effort this year. My team mates Sebastian and Erwan are the best team mates I could ever ask for, and Michelin have provided us with the best tyres available to anyone. Challenging for the title in our first full season is a great achievement and I think we should be proud of ourselves. I also want to congratulate SERT for claiming the title for the 11^th time which is just amazing. I just hope they don’t get too attached to the trophy though, coz next year it’s ours!” Cudlin grinned.

It’s been a busy year for the Aussie which included a full IDM Superbike season, GP development and of course, his MotoGP debut. Looking forward to a well earned break, Cudlin will return home to Taree,Australianext week for the “off season” before returning toEuropeat the end of January for the 2012 racing season.

Motorcycle racer Damian Cudlin has experienced it all in the past few weeks. The Aussie all rounder got to experience the highs of replacing GP stars, Loris Capirossi and Hector Barbera on a MotoGP grid, but also experienced the lows of crashing out due to technical problems in Japan, and suffering a monstrous crash at Phillip Island, which eventually ruled him out of his home grand prix.

Still recovering from a hip injury and severe abrasions, Cudlin has had time to reflect on his MotoGP adventures but insists his focus is now on securing his first World Title when the final round of the Endurance World Championship draws to a close in Qatar in 2 weeks time.

“It’s been a hell of a ride and I’ve enjoyed every part of it” Cudlin insisted at his home base inGera,Germany“well… almost all of it!”

Cudlin referred to his first set back on the Pramac Ducati at the Japanese Grand Prix, where he’d climbed to 11^th place in the race before a water leak caused him to crash out of the results.

“The crash inJapanwas just unlucky, as a stone had holed the radiator and it took me down by surprise.” Cudlin explained. “I didn’t even know that’s what had caused the crash at first, but the Pramac guys investigated it once I’d returned to the pits and told me later. I thought it was really good of them to tell me honestly what had happened. It was just one of those things.”

Returning toEurope, Cudlin received another shot at MotoGP when the MAPFRE Ducati Team when he was drafted in to replace the injured Hector Barbera at the Australian Grand Prix atPhillipIsland. The prospect of racing in MotoGP at his home grand prix was a dream come true for the Aussie, and many fans and supporters hoped for a fairytale result at the often unpredictable Phillip Island. Unfortunately it was not be. Cudlin suffered a huge fall in Saturday morning’s FP3 session and was treated at the medical centre for deep tissue lacerations and abrasions, as well as a hip socket injury. Desperate to race and make the most of the opportunity, Cudlin tried bravely to ride again with the help of pain killers, however only managed a single lap on Sunday morning before withdrawing from the race.

“Obviously I’m really disappointed that I didn’t get to race. It was the chance of a lifetime and I feel like it was wasted.” Cudlin admitted. “Friday went pretty well and I was confident of moving up during the rest of the weekend, but on Saturday the cold wind caught me out and I highsided on my first flying lap with a new rear tyre. It was my mistake- but it was the same one that a lot of guys have made on the Bridgestone GP tyres. I guess I learned a hard lesson.”

Cudlin’s focus has now returned to the prospect of winning his first World Championship with his BMW Motorrad France Team at the final round of the Endurance World Championships inQatar. Trailing reigning World Champions SERT by just 9 points, the championship is up for grabs and Cudlin is keen to retain the title he’s been working for since 2005.

“SERT are still going in as favorites but this is Endurance racing and anything can happen. Our focus is on winning the race, that’s our priority now, because if we can do that, then we stand a chance for the overall championship. It’s a good mentality to have really; the pressure is on them now.” Cudlin insisted. “I’ve been doing Endurance a long time now and we’ve finally got a shot at the title. We’ve all worked so hard to get into this position and now it’s time to make the most of it. We’re gunna give it everything we’ve got atDohaand see what happens. Keep your fingers crossed!”

The final round of the Endurance World Championship will held at Doha, Losail on the 12^th of November.

Just 1 week since his surprise appearance in MotoGP as a replacement rider for Loris Capirossi at the Pramac Ducati Team, Damian Cudlin has now been confirmed as a replacement for Hector Barbera, who broke his collarbone in Japan last week.

The 28 year old Australian will ride a Ducati Desmosedici for the Mapfre Aspar Team at his home Grand Prix at Phillip Island next weekend.

“To get the call up the first time to replace Loris was a big enough shock, but to get another start in MotoGP for another team at the very next race is just unbelievable to me.” Cudlin explained. “You wait your whole life to get a shot at MotoGP and then suddenly two come along at once. If I’m dreaming, don’t wake me up!”

Cudlin impressed many with his performance at Motegi, quickly adapting to a bike he’d never ridden, at a circuit he’d never seen before. Despite crashing out of a certain points scoring finish in Japan, Cudlin proved to be an asset to the Pramac Team both in terms of speed and valuable feedback on the Ducati Desmosedici. Now, starting in front of his home crowd at a track he’s familiar with, Cudlin hopes to carry on from where he left off in Japan.

“Obviously in Motegi I had a lot to learn in a short space of time which made things a bit tougher for me, but at least at Phillip Island I’ll know which way the track goes. I haven’t actually ridden there for a long time, not since my Australian Superbike days back in 2004 or 2005, but I’ve got a good memory and to ride a MotoGP bike around there should be unreal. I think a lot of my family and friends; probably half of Taree will be coming down to cheer me on, so I’ll definitely have plenty of support. I can’t wait.”

Cudlin will arrive in Australia on Wednesday in preparation for Friday’s first practice session at Phillip Island.

“I must thank the Mapfre Aspar Team for giving me this opportunity to race at home. It should be a great experience and I just want to enjoy every minute of it. I also want to thank everyone who’s sent me messages of support in the last couple of weeks. It’s blown me away and I hope to make everyone proud at Phillip Island.”

Australia’s Damian Cudlin is a motorcycle racer in demand. In the last 3 weeks the 28 year old has raced a Production Superbike for his BMW Team in the IDM series in Germany, an Endurance Superbike for BMW Motorrad in the Le Mans 24 hours race in France, and a Ducati Desmosedici for Pramac Racing in the MotoGP World Championship in Japan. Each team used different tyre brands, different suspension and different electronic systems to manage their machines, while the team’s staff ranged from German, Belgian, and French to Spanish and Italian. Despite this, the versatile Aussie has managed to race all of them with success, making him an increasingly valuable asset for the 2012 season.

Heading into the final round of the IDM Superbike series in Hockenheim, Cudlin went into the event as a title candidate, however a small mistake while pushing for lead of the final race of the season cost Cudlin in the championship standings as he eventually dropped to 4^th in the final rankings.

With no time to rest, Cudlin drove his car and caravan to France for the 4^th round of the Endurance World Championship and the classic Le Mans 24 hours race. Going into the event as championship leaders, Cudlin and the BMW Motorrad France Team looked set for certain victory after securing pole position and leading for almost half of the race, however technical issues cost the team over 40 minutes in the box for repairs and the seemingly unstoppable #99 eventually finished in a disappointing 7^th overall.

It was expected that Cudlin would enjoy a hard earned break with some of his BMW colleagues at the World Famous “Oktoberfest” after the gruelingLe Mansrace, but whilst on-route toMunich, Cudlin received the opportunity of a lifetime to replace grand prix veteran Loris Capirossi in the Pramac Racing MotoGP Team at the Japanese Grand Prix. Without hesitation, Cudlin and his wife Amy headed straight toFrankfurtand boarded a plane forTokyo.

“A message came through directly from Sito Pons asking me if I was interested to replace Capirossi inJapan. I was driving the car at the time and I almost steered it off the road. I honestly couldn’t believe it. Before we knew it, Amy and I were sitting at the airport waiting to fly toJapan. I kept expecting someone to jump out and tell me I was on Candid Camera!” Cudlin joked.

Thrown in the MotoGP deep end, Cudlin faced the daunting task of learning the Motegi racetrack whilst riding the potent Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP machine for the very first time. While steady to begin with, Cudlin soon proved he was no joke at all, as he continued to reduce the deficit to the leaders with every session. Qualifying ahead of MotoGP test rider and multiple grand prix winner Shinichi Ito, Cudlin looked set to claim more scalps in the race as he moved to 12^th position and within striking distance of 11^th placed LCR Honda rider, Kousuke Akiyoshi. However the impressive debut ended early when Cudlin lost the front of the Ducati and crashed out with 8 laps to go.

“The race was going to plan and although I was trying really hard at the time, I’d just got to the back of Akiyoshi and had started to plan my attack for a few laps before the finish, but then suddenly I was skidding across the tarmac and my race was over. It’s really disappointing to have crashed out, especially as it’s just the second time I’ve crashed in the entire 2011 season; talk about bad timing!” Cudlin shrugged. “Still, it was a great experience, one that I’ll remember for the rest of my life, and I can’t thank the Pramac Racing Team enough for giving me this opportunity. I hope it’s not the last…”

With the next round of the MotoGP World Championship scheduled for Phillip Island in Australia, Cudlin says he’d “kill for the chance to ride it again” however the status of currently injured Capirossi is still unclear. Cudlin has also been linked as a replacement for Hector Barbera at the Aspar Team as the Spaniard is currently undergoing treatment for a broken collarbone.

“Obviously it’d be great to ride a MotoGP bike again with the experience I’ve gained inJapan, especially at a circuit I’ve raced on before likePhillipIsland, but it’s out of my hands so I’ll just wait and see what happens. If nothing else, I’m content to say I’ve ridden in MotoGP and had a great time doing it.”

Pramac Ducati has announced that 29-year-old Australian Damian Cudlin will replace the injured Loris Capirossi in this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

“It’s hard to put into words what this opportunity means to me,” said Cudlin, whose MotoGP experience is limited to testing the 2012 BMW-powered Suter CRT bike.

“I’ve dreamed about starting in MotoGP since I was a boy, and until now it’s been just that- a dream. Now it’s become a reality and to be honest, I’m still in shock!

“I’m under no illusions about how difficult this race will be. I’ve never ridden a real MotoGP bike before and I’ve never been to Motegi either, so realistically my expectations can’t be too high. I just want to do the best job I can, enjoy the experience, and just see what happens. I’ve really got nothing to lose, so why not?

“I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this. I still can’t believe I’ll be replacing Loris Capirossi – I had posters of him on my wall as a kid!

“I just want to thank Sito Pons for recommending me, the Pramac Racing Team for giving me a chance, and also my current BMW Team for allowing me to use this opportunity. I hope I can make everyone proud that they took a chance with a guy like me.”

Cudlin, a veteran of the World Endurance Championship, has made one previous grand prix start, in last year’s German Moto2 Grand Prix, where he rode from 22nd on the grid to an impressive seventh.

Capirossi, who will retire at the end of this season, dislocated his right shoulder for a second time this year, at Aragon.

The Italian hopes to return for the final three races, following Japan.

After a strong performance at the previous round in Schleiz, Australian Damian Cudlin headed to the 7^th round of the IDM Superbike Championship full of confidence and ready to advance in the championship standings.

The new Red Bull Ring venue seemed to immediately suit Cudlin and the Alpha Technik/ Van Zon/ Kraftwerk BMW and the team set an impressive pace in Friday’s opening practice sessions. An afternoon storm heavily affected Friday’s final practice session, however Cudlin felt confident with the bike’s performance in either weather condition.

Saturday’s opening qualifying session presented the first mechanical issue all season for Cudlin’s crew when a faulty radiator cap caused a 20 minute delay in the box. With limited time remaining, Cudlin set the 3^rd fastest time on just his 3^rd flying lap of the session before returning to the box. Unable to use his 2^nd qualifying tyre in the time remaining, Cudlin went on to improve his time in the hotter qualifying session in the afternoon but couldn’t improve his grid position for Sunday’s races.

“It’s a shame we lost some time in the opening qualifying session, but it’s the first time anything has gone wrong with the bike all year, so I really can’t complain” Cudlin explained. “Anywhere on the front row is a good place to start from so I’m looking forward to the races.”

Fantastic summer weather greeted the fans on Sunday as temperatures soared to 35 degrees. In the opening leg, Cudlin made a quick start and battled for 2nd with championship leader Bauer on the opening lap, as Ranseder set a frantic pace at the front. Unable to maintain the pace of the leading duo, Cudlin dropped behind but held 3^rd position for the first half of the race. With 8 laps to go, Cudlin felt a sudden drop in tyre performance and began to struggle with a lack of grip. Dropping down the field dramatically at the end, Cudlin could only manage 7^th at the finish; a whopping 20 seconds from the race winner, Ranseder.

“It’s a really disappointing result and it hasn’t done our championship any favors at all” Cudlin quipped at the end of the first race. “Our tyre choice was wrong and there was nothing I could for the last half of the race. It was just about survival at the end.”

Cudlin and his tight knit crew put their heads together for the second race and came up with another strategy that proved to be far more successful than the first.

Blasting away from the line, Cudlin settled into 3^rd on the opening lap, like a carbon copy of the first race. While the local riders sprinted away at the front, Cudlin opted to ride conservatively for the first half of the race to save his rear tyre for the end. With 8 laps to go, Cudlin put on a surge and broke away from his pursuers to claim his 3^rd podium in the last 4 races.

“The second race was definitely better then our first, but I’m still a bit disappointed to have been so far behind the two in front of me. Pirelli have made a good step with the tyres recently but we still need to work and I hope that we’ll have something stronger for the final race at Hockenheim. The championship isn’t over technically, but Bauer looks like a shoe in from here now, so we’re really focusing on trying to finish 2^nd in the standings now.”

Cudlin lies 3^rd in the IDM Superbike Championship standings, just 2 points behind defending champion Karl Muggeridge but 42 points behind Martin Bauer.

The final race of the season will be held at Hockenheim, Germanyon the 18^th of September.

Damian Cudlin enjoyed the best results of his rookie IDM Superbike season with a double podium finish at Schleiz on the weekend.

Coming off the back of a successful race in the Suzuka 8 Hour just a week earlier, Cudlin re-adjusted to European time and immediately set a strong pace in Friday’s training sessions.

Saturday’s qualifying sessions, held in hot and humid conditions, saw the Aussie secure a 5^th place slot despite encountering traffic on each of his qualifying tyre runs. Disappointed with the second row, Cudlin remained confident that his race pace would prevail in Sunday’s races.

“We seemed to be on the pace in the wet and the dry during practice and I was confident of sticking it on the front row in qualifying but I got held up on each of my hot laps which cost me time.” Cudlin explained after qualifying. “The BMW is working great here though and I’m confident of strong results in any weather condition.”

Cudlin started Sunday strongly by topping warm up in dry conditions before rain settled on the Schleiz circuit insuring a wet first race.

Bursting off the line in the tricky conditions, Cudlin slotted in behind countrymen Karl Muggeridge in the opening laps as the pair broke away from the pack by 3 seconds. A nasty crash from Ducati’s Dario Guessipetti brought out the red flag, which race officials deemed required a full restart. Despite losing their considerable early advantage, Cudlin put his head down again at the restart moving past Muggeridge for the lead and stretching an advantage at the front. Cudlin looked set to claim his first IDM Superbike win until the track began to dry at an alarming rate. Cudlin fought hard on his deteriorating wet tyres, smoke bellowing from the rear of his BMW as he slid sideways on the exit of every turn. Clinging to the lead as the last lap approached, Cudlin held back a determined Smrz on intermediates, but was eventually forced to concede to the Czech as he snatched the win from the Aussie.

“I tried as hard as I could and was determined to get my first win of the season, but the race was about a lap and a half too long for my wet tyres and I couldn’t hold Smrz off for any longer.” Cudlin said after the first race. “It’s unlucky that we lost our advantage in race one, and even unluckier that the restart was delayed for so long, but I’m happy enough with 2^nd. I hope we can go one better in the second race!”

The track dried in time for the second race, insuring a full field on slick tyres. Cudlin made another strong start and jumped in behind KTM’s Martin Bauer and HRP’s Karl Muggeridge for the opening laps. Bauer immediately broke away at the front and when Muggeridge made a mistake, Cudlin swooped past and set about closing the considerable gap to Bauer. The Austrian was too strong though, smashing the lap record as he pulled away from the Australians. The next 15 laps saw a close battle between the Aussies for 2^nd place, with Cudlin coming out on top by a mere 0.02 seconds.

“It was a tough race but it was definitely a lot of fun. I couldn’t match Bauer’s pace, he blew us all away today, but it seemed we had the rest covered. Karl stuck to my back wheel for the whole race and when I saw the last lap board I knew he would have a go somewhere. I blocked each attempt but he squeezed past in the final turn and I thought then that he’d beaten me. I concentrated on getting a perfect exit and when I saw Karl spin up too much I knew I had a chance. Then the BMW power kicked in and I pipped him on the line. It’s been a great weekend for our team and we’re getting stronger with every race. I hope we can keep the momentum going now and finish the year on a high.”

Cudlin now sits 3^rd in the IDM Superbike standings, 27 points behind championship leader Bauer, and just 3 points behind reigning champion Muggeridge. The next race will be at the newly renovated Red Bull Ring inAustria where Cudlin hopes to achieve his first race win of the year.

Australian racer Damian Cudlin has officially opened “The Convict Club” ahead of his favorite IDM race of the year at Schleiz this weekend.

Playing on his Australian family history, “The Convict Club” is a supporters club that offers members various benefits depending on the level of membership purchased. There are 3 levels of membership ranging from “First Offender” to “Re-Offender” and even “Life Sentence” membership. Members can even have their “Mug Shot” posted on Damian’s website to show their support!

“We wanted something different from every other Australian out there, so we dropped the Kangaroo and Koala as a mascot and came up with the Convict! When I worked at a petrol station years ago inEngland, my boss used to call me a Convict, so I think it fits perfectly.” Cudlin smiled. “We have a tight little fan base that’s growing stronger all the time and we just wanted to offer them something fun. The Convict Club gives members a chance to be a part of my racing career, represent at the race track and most importantly share a few laughs.”

For more details about “The Convict Club” visit Damian’s official website www.damiancudlin.com and navigate to the Convict Club page.

Australia’s Damian Cudlin has taken the lead in the 2011 Endurance World Championship after claiming his best ever finish at the Suzuka 8 Hours Race inJapanon the weekend.

The BMW Motorrad Team of Gimbert, Nigon and Cudlin entered the race trailing championship leaders Suzuki Endurance Racing Team by 2 points, but a determined effort saw them dominate their rivals in Japan, securing 4^th place at the finish; 4 laps ahead of SERT in 9^th.

Entering the BMW S1000RR into the Suzuka 8 Hour for the first time, the BMW Motorrad Team had a lot to learn in the limited practice sessions, however after making rapid progress with every outing, the team secured a slot in the Top 10 Superpole Shoot Out which determined the starting positions for the famous event.

With rain interrupting Cudlin’s attempt at a fast lap in Superpole, Frenchman Erwan Nigon was put in charge of securing the team’s grid position, and he stormed to a 2.09.5 minute lap time and sensational 7^th place. Having achieved their best ever starting position at the Suzuka 8 Hour event, the BMW Motorrad Team then elected Cudlin to start the race who’d shown impressive speed on race rubber all weekend.

Bursting from his grid position, Cudlin made a tremendous start and ran as high as 5^th in the opening laps before finding a comfortable rhythm in a group of 3 riders battling for 6^th. Riding with speed, security and intelligence, Cudlin turned the team’s fastest lap of the race before bringing the bike back for Gimbert at the first round of stops.

“The start procedure seemed to drag on forever and while I was sitting in the sweltering heat all I wanted to do was go racing.” Cudlin explained. “The last time I started a race it was a bit of a disaster when I couldn’t start the engine, so I was focused on getting it right this time. Thankfully I made a clean start and put in a solid first stint. I spent the whole hour riding around with fellow Aussie Wayne Maxwell which kept us both entertained!”

The BMW Motorrad Team performed a slick pit stop and Gimbert took to the circuit for his first stint of the race, but just moments later the former EWC Champion was on the ground at the hairpin. Fearing the worst, Nigon prepared to take over, however a gritty display saw Gimbert pick up the bike and carry on in without pitting. Having done nothing to dent his confidence, Gimbert continued riding at impressive speed, before Nigon took to the controls at the end of the hour.

The trio rode faultlessly from that point on in the race, and aided by lightning fast pit stops, the BMW Motorrad Team crossed the finish line in a terrific 4^th place, trailing only the Factory Japanese Entries of Honda and Suzuki.

“We’re over the moon with this result and to be leading the World Championship for the first time in my career. The race was tough but our priority here was to beat SERT and we did that convincingly. The team performed brilliantly with faultless pit stops, and the Michelin tyres also made our life a lot easier in the race. It also shows how good the BMW S1000RR is… I could pass practically anyone on the back straight!” Cudlin grinned. “I’m really proud of this team and all our supporters. We’re giving 110% this year and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

The BMW Motorrad Team will now focus on the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hour race in September, knowing that a good result there could win them a World Championship.

Despite a “frustrating weekend” by his standards, Damian Cudlin remains in title contention after the 5^th round of the IDM Superbike Championship at Salzburgring last weekend.

The reigning IDM Supersport Champion rode the Salzburgring venue for the first time on the bigger and more powerful Superbike machine, reaching speeds of over 300kph on the Salzburgring’s daunting back straight. However it didn’t take the Aussie long to adapt as he snatched provisional pole position in the opening qualifying session on Saturday. Struggling to time the all important slip-stream needed for a great lap time at the Austrian circuit, Cudlin slipped to 6^th in the final moments of final qualifying, relegating him back to the second row for Sunday’s two14 lap races.

Blasting from the line in the opening race of the day, Cudlin sliced his way to the lead for the first time in his IDM SBK career. Holding the lead for the opening laps, Cudlin headed a 5 rider freight train that broke away from the pack and jostled amongst themselves for the majority of the race. With 4 laps to go, Cudlin began losing vital ground from the leading trio as tyre wear began to thwart his efforts. Desperate for a podium in front of his Alpha Technik, Van Zon, Kraftwerk and BMW supporters, Cudlin made a last push on the final lap and closed the gap, but ultimately fell short of his target by 0.091 seconds and finished in 4^th place.

“It’s really disappointing to miss out on the podium in this race, especially when my BMW was so strong on the straights, but unfortunately we just didn’t have the pace of the leading guys in the closing stages.” Cudlin admitted. “I gave it a real push on that last lap, even despite rain drops hitting my visor, but it just wasn’t enough. Hopefully I can turn the tables in race 2.”

The IDM Superbike field gridded up in damp weather conditions for race 2 and debate began whether the race should be run or not at all. Despite various riders claiming the conditions were unsafe, the race was started on schedule and as planned.

Cudlin made another clean start and entered the first turn cautiously when another rider slammed into the side of his machine, forcing him off the track and into the gravel bed. Recovering as quickly as possible, he set chase on the riders ahead desperate to limit the damage to his result. Conditions remained treacherously slippery and although various riders signaled for a red flag the race continued. Cudlin surged ahead regardless and moved to 6^th, while closing dramatically on former IDM Champion Stefan Nebel in 5^th.

Suddenly red flags where shown, and the race was cancelled just as the race had reached the 75% race distance necessary to declare the results. It got worse for Cudlin as the results were taken from the previous lap, meaning he was declared as 7^th in the final classification.

Annoyed with the decisions made during the race, Cudlin couldn’t hide the disappointment of finishing 7^th but was glad to have arrived back to the box safe and in one piece.

“Everybody knows how dangerous this race track is especially on a SBK, but those conditions make it even worse and in my opinion they should’ve delayed the start. Anyway, it was a tough call to make so they decided to go racing, but then they red flagged it just as the rain stopped and I was on a charge forward! That was really frustrating and honestly I’m really disappointed with my results this weekend, but sometimes that’s the way it goes. We’re still in the hunt for this championship, which is pretty remarkable, so hopefully we can come home strong in the final 3 rounds.”

The next round of the IDM series will be held at Schleiz, one of Cudlin’s favourite circuits, at the event he dominated last year on the Supersport machine, claiming pole, race win and lap record.

“We have a test planned with Pirelli in this pause between Schleiz, and I hope we can finally test some combinations that will work with our package. I really want to give the guys something to cheer about at Schleiz.”