K&N 2012 Race Update with Supermoto Team Honda Austria
- 13 Feb 2012
The current Honda Manufacture supported Supermoto team formed in 2006. However, the original Team Honda Austria (THA) first got involved with Supermoto back in 2000, and they have always supported private Honda riders. The team has good reason to believe that 2012 will be another season for them to rule the European Supermoto landscape. Last season former State Champion, Andi Rothbauer, had several third place finishes and made it to the podium four times in all. He was battling for third overall up until the very last race. "In the beginning it was all about recovery of my very bad shoulder injury in 2010, Rothbauer told K&N. "But the kick-off events went very well. I was getting stronger and faster with each race, starting to really challenge at some new event. At the finals I was all focused on getting a top-three end year result. But always going 'all-in' means you're open to making mistakes. I made a very bad turn at the finals and injured my knee. So instead of third I ended up in the hospital and finished fifth overall in 2011 in the S-Open Pro."
The newest team member, Florian Wedenig brought his expertise in motocross, cross country, as well as Supermoto Junior Cup experience to the team last year. Wedenig adapted quickly to his first full season aboard the 450 Honda, and by mid-season he earned his first podium finish. "I was always eager to get this thing going. Race after race I was having more fun and getting more confidence in my bike," commented Wedenig. "At the end of the last racing season I accomplished 4th position in the overall results S1 Professional. This means I have once again made my goal finishing top 5!"
"Andi's four podiums proved to him that he was always competitive," added team marketing spokesperson Claudia Rothbauer. "Some of the team's highlights were also attending a lot of expeditions and doing some real cool Supermoto and Stunt shows for several sponsors." "I love doing stunt and Supermoto Shows," Andi chimes in. "During racing events we are all focused on our race-performance. However at expeditions we can just enjoy the cheering crowd and represent our sponsors at our best!" For Wedenig last year's highlight was landing his first podium. "This was just a dream come true. Two years ago I was still in junior cups riding against kids," said Wedenig. "Now I am challenging my former heroes. Finishing top -three in Kaltenbach showed me the awesome progress I've made since joining Honda Austria team."
Claudia feels that as a team they have grown stronger and more competitive. "We continue to compete at a very high level and we are always a threat to our competitors. Injuries can happen at any time, but our riders are in great physical condition and they remain focused and strong, which helps them recover very fast." Rothbauer has already started full conditioning workouts, while Wedenig is already attending some indoor events. "We will again mainly use Honda CRF450R 2012 motocross bikes, which we will remodel to Supermoto weapons. Honda Austria is giving us a great base for competitive bikes. The main components such as high power K&N Air Filters (HA-4509XD) and Oil Filters (KN-116) will not change. Those are always a big part of our success," says Claudia with a smile. "At the moment we are testing some more tires companies and suspension components, to bring more power on the track. By the time the new championship will start in April, we are sure to have all components figured out and will be ready to win!" Team Honda Austria will begin race testing at events in Italy beginning in March. "Around Easter holiday we are expecting the first test sessions in Austria," Claudia adds. The International Austria Championship will kick-off on April 22nd. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
