From Moto2 to Supersport, the new challenge of Kiefer Racing

Kiefer Racing leaves Moto2 for a completely new experience in the Supersport World Championship. The pilots are Lukas Tulovic and Thomas Gradinger.

Two weeks ago the last Grand Prix of the World Championship, which marked the end of an era for the team Kiefer Racing. After 17 years the Rheinland-Pfalz team said goodbye to that championship (following the decision of the selection committee not to confirm the team in Moto2 in 2020). The German facility has faced difficult times in recent years, starting with the sudden death of boss Stefan Kiefer in October 2017 at Sepang, on the eve of the Grand Prix. Now the team embraces a completely new challenge.

One of the two pilots is Lukas Tulovic, who followed his team leaving Moto2. The nineteen-year-old from Eberbach, having left behind a complex rookie season in the category, is preparing to play a different championship, despite being familiar with the 600ccs. The second is the Austrian Thomas Gradinger, which will play the third full season in Supersport. From the past in the CEV Moto3 and Moto2 IDM Supersport600 2017 champions, the Sankt Marienkirchen bei Scharding driver debuts the following year in the World Championship. In this 2019 he won his first podium.

"I am grateful to Kiefer Racing for having renewed confidence in me" he has declared Lukas Tulovic. "Originally we had a three-year agreement to continue in Moto2, then everything changed. Little break after Valencia, I immediately started the winter training program. Point to losing a few more pounds to be even more fit for this new experience. On paper this championship is difficult, although I am familiar with Supersport bikes and this seems to fit well with my riding style. I can't wait to get started, I will also have a teammate with experience in this league. There is a lot of work to do, but I am ready. "

"I'm glad a team so weighty decided to bet on me" he added Thomas Gradinger. “The two drivers' titles in the World Championship speak for them. I am convinced then that this team can do well in the Supersport World Championship, they have all the requirements. It would be nice then if we could succeed together: I will make available all my experience accumulated over the last two years. However, I came into the right environment to shake off the last part of 2019 undertone. "

"In the World Supersport we face a completely new challenge" the principal team said Jochen Kiefer. "We have been preparing for a long time and it will be fun to start from this championship. Everyone is very motivated and has butterflies in their stomachs since the new bikes arrived. We look forward to starting, this time again with two pilots, Lukas and Thomas. We are especially pleased that Thomas has chosen our project: he knows the WorldSSP very well and will be of great help. We also thank Dorna and Yamaha. "