Results of FIM e-Power/TTXGP Race at Oschersleben

Team Zongshen rider Yu Tang came through in a surprise win in Sunday’s FIM e-Power International Championship event at Oschersleben. After teammate Ho Chi Fung’s respectable third place in Saturday’s three-lap sprint, Tang found himself on the highest step of the podium after favorites, and Munch Racing teammates, Matthias Himmelmann and Katja Poensgen experienced mechanical trouble. The Zongshen rider took the chequered flag at the end of the ten-lap race ahead of Udo Reichmann (Reichmann Racing-Mavizen) and Christian Amendt (epo-Bike). 

The early part of the race saw Matthias Himmelmann in front as expected, as he set a blisteringly fast lap of 1’37.771 in warm-up. On lap four of the race, Himmelmann clocked a 1’40.526 – more than six seconds faster than anyone else. By mid race, however, Himmelmann’s batteries were overheating. He slowed his pace, allowing teammate Poensgen to take the lead, in an attempt to remedy the problem. It didn’t work, and unfortunately, just a few laps later, the former GP250 rider suffered the same fate and both riders had to push their motorcycles over the line.

Fung, on another Zongshen, was in prime position to benefit from the German team’s problems as he was running third, but issues with his electrical system forced him to drop out of the race. These upsets at the front of the field finally gave the man aboard the Zongshen 26, Yu Tang, a chance to shine and bring home the victory on the back of a well managed race. Behind the winner, Udo Reichmann hauled a Mavizen on to a FIM e-Power Championship podium for the very first time. Christian Amendt, back after a brilliant season in the 2010 FIM e-Power Championship, took third, proving that perseverance is a key quality in this discipline where nothing stands still for long.

Peter Linden on a Zongshen that was no match for the rest of the field in terms of performance, managed to hang in there, coming in fourth just behind the winning trio. Münch Racing’s Thomas Schuricht and Matthias Himmelmann took fifth and sixth place respectively, saving crucial points and leaving Katja Poensgen just two points ahead of team-mate Himmelmann on the provisional leader board.

The next round of the championship takes place Friday, September 7 at France’s Bugatti circuit, home of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Yu Tang – 26 / Zongshen

I made a mistake in the first lap and nearly crashed the bike to ended up having to make my way back up the grid. I worked really hard and was concentrating on my own race so didn’t even realise that there was actually a chance to take the pole position and actually win. I have to say it feels amazing to come to Oschersleben and take home this win for my team. They all work so hard fielding three bikes this weekend and most of the credit should go to them. They have built me a reliable bike that is performing really well. Last weekend I was second at Assen and now I am the winner. Incredible for my second season as an eRacer and second season racing in Europe.

I really wish my team mate Ho Chi Fung gets the bike he deserves for the next round. The team is working hard on the new development bike but there is much to learn with a whole different set up, new motors, battery pack and control systems. I hope at the next round in Le Mans he will be able to join me on the podium.

Christian Amendt – 36 / Epo-bike.de

I was so happy that I was able to mange my small battery pack for such a long race whilst keeping respectable lap times. It was awesome to finish third and get on the podium here in Germany. I have to say it was also really great to have so many good quality competitors here this weekend and a lot of spectators. I found the whole weekend really good fun especially with the introduction of the new sprint race, which I feel is a really good idea.

Katja Poensgen – 65 / Münch Racing

In the race I was following Ho Chi Fung for a few laps to see how his bike was performing. I felt confident I could overtake him but thought I would hang back behind him until the final lap as I know my bike had the potential to overheat so I didn’t want to push it. But the bike just stopped. I reset it and set off again to carry on racing and it was operating ok but it stopped once more. This time the marshalls wouldn’t let me out again and my race was over .

Matthias Himmelmann – 49 / Münch Racing

I was really confident going into the race at the front of the grid. I was hoping to really push the bike as far as I could and set a circuit record for the weekend within the actual race but the energy just gave up. Actually the last time a raced with my white race leathers I also didn’t finish the race; I now will never wear these leathers to race again, they always bring me bad luck. After the first lap I was in the front of the field but the bike stopped in lap four, I got it started but it stopped again so I pulled into the pit lane to check the voltages and temperatures. Everything seemed to be ok so I went back onto the track but it was a horrible race for me. The bike stopped two more times, each time I reset it and started again but the last time was 200m from the checkered flag. This time it would not start again and I pushed it across the finish line. Now the team must take all this data and work very hard to work on the bikes and solve the heating problems. We are looking forward to racing in Le Mans for the next joint TTXGP and FIM e-power race and hope to put todays result firmly behind us. I want to thank my sponsors Windreich for backing my team and helping us make this weekend energy from clean resources.

Udo Reichmann – 72 / Reichmann Racing – Mavizen

I wanted to thank my team for giving me an opportunity to take part in the race weekend. It was a fun experience and the engineers got my bike to the most perfect setting by the time the race was here. It was a great result for me, the first time I race electric and I am happy to help put my team on the podium. It is exciting to do something new and this weekend has been great fun.

By Troy Siahaan