Bernd Hiemer is Supermoto S1 2006 World Champion

LATINA (ITALY)-The weather in Latina was a bit cloudy but thinking of the weather was the least important thing today. Both S1 and S2 World Titles could have been won in Italy this weekend and this chance motivated 4500 spectators to come to the International circuit “Il Sagittario”.

German Bernd Hiemer became the S1 2006 World Champion and snatched the Title from 2005 Champion Gerald Delepine. Both rivals kept the rhythm high in the first Moto but Hiemer was the winner. He opened up a gap then lost the advantage because of a mistake; Delepine came close to the German but Hiemer pushed hard again and had a final advantage of 2 seconds and a half. Husqvarna placed another rider into the top three: it was Italian Ivan Lazzarini who lost some time before passing countryman Simone Girolami; by the time he made it the 2 leaders were too far away and Ivan simply secured third position. TM rider Girolami finished fourth and British Christian Iddon completed the top five.

In the second Moto Hiemer knew he had his chance to become World Champion. He needed to score only 1 point more than Lazzarini and so he did. But the 15 laps were packed of action: they started with Hiemer leading from Delepine but Lazzarini and Iddon quickly got rid of the Belgian at the straight after the off-road section. Girolami had a good pace and stayed right behind Delepine until the fifth lap. Once Girolami passed he waited behind Iddon who got the lead at the eleventh lap. At the entrance of the off-road section race leader Hiemer was passed by Iddon, Girolami and Lazzarini; the man who finally snatched the win was TM rider Girolami and Hiemer closed the race in second place. Iddon and Lazzarini made a mistake at the entrance of the off-road and both were passed by Delepine: the Belgian finished the race in third place with Iddon fourth and Lazzarini fifth.

The podium celebration was Hiemer’s party: the 23-year-old German from Leutkirch was World Champion for the first time in his career. He will stay with KTM for 2 more years but will race in the 450cc class next season. Fight for second place is still open with Lazzarini and Delepine being just 2 points from each other. Iddon is fourth and needs to make up 13 points on Lazzarini if he wants to get second. Swiss Marcel Goetz is fifth but too far from Iddon.

The S1 manufacturers’ crown and the S2 riders’ title will be given in Greece at the last round of the FIM Supermoto World Championship: the Dunlop Grand Prix of Greece will be on the 5th of November in Athens.