FIM Endurance World Championship racer Leandro Mercado continued his recent run of success by ‘settling the score’ in the Internationalen Deutschen Motorradmeisterschaft event at Oschersleben in Germany last weekend.
Still on a high after helping Champion-MRP-Tecmas claim EWC Superstock category glory in the 8 Hours of Spa Motos at the start of June, Argentine ace Mercado finished third and second in the two Oschersleben races to move up to fifth place in the IDM standings ahead of the summer break.
“I still had a score to settle with Oschersleben after my crash on my first visit,” said the Masteroil-alpha-Van Zon-BMW rider. “It's always good to be on the podium. I was looking for exactly this performance, especially after the opening race here, where I crashed while in the lead. But I managed to make all the overtaking manoeuvres exactly where I crashed last time. That's good, of course, but I want more. I want to win.”
While it proved to be an Oschersleben weekend to remember for Mercado, it was a weekend to forget for his Masteroil-alpha-Van Zon-BMW team-mate Hannes Soomer. The IDM points leader ahead of the event, Soomer suffered a hand injury when he crashed in the opening race, dropping to third in the provisional standings in the process.
"Unfortunately he injured his hand and will need surgery on his fingers,” Team Manager Werner Daemen said. “A motorcycle can be repaired quickly, but a body takes a little longer. But I know that Hannes is a strong guy.”
While the IDM is on its summer break until the Assen event from 15-17 August, the EWC is heading to Japan for the 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race from 1-3 August.
Photo: Masteroil-alpha-Van Zon-BMW
Original Source [ FIM EWC ]