KTM Racing News talks to Martin Bauer 03.12.2009: Austrian racer Martin Bauer is to join Stefan Nebel in the KTM Superbike Team Germany to race the RC8R in the IDM (International German Superbike Championship) for the 2010 season. With two titles already in his pocket, Bauer

Austrian racer Martin Bauer is to join Stefan Nebel in the KTM Superbike Team Germany to race the RC8R in the IDM (International German Superbike Championship) for the 2010 season. With two titles already in his pocket, Bauer has proven more than once his great Superbike skills. KTM Racing News called Martin at his home near Vienna to ask him about his impressions of his new team:  
 
You are the newest member of the team. How do you feel in Orange?
I feel really good with the KTM team. It's the first time in my racing career that I've raced for a team of an Austrian brand and that's naturally very exciting. It's great to be racing for KTM, a company from Austria and it's also great to have the whole weight of the KTM factory team behind me. That makes a big difference when you compare it to racing for a private team. 
 
Why did you decide to make the switch to KTM? What were the most important reasons?
It was the challenge of joining a new team and racing a new type of bike. I had been racing for Honda in the IDM, we had an excellent time and partnership, and I had pretty much won everything there was to win. I won two titles and if things had gone differently this season I could have won again. I've already had a long contact with KTM right from the time they started to develop the RC8 R.

This is a completely new concept and of course that's exciting to work with. Also I've been riding in the IDM for a number of years and I would like to have a shot at riding in the Superbike World Championship before I finish my racing career. I know that this won't happen for KTM in the next couple of years but I also know it's their medium to longer term goal to race in the world championship and I would like to be around when they give it a try. I'm 33 now and I still have some good years racing left in my career.
 
How do you feel in the team with your teammate Stefan Nebel?
We get along well. Stefan and I have known each other and raced against each other for a long time so I feel very comfortable with him in the KTM team.
 
You missed the tests this week because of illness, but you already spent some time on the KTM in Spain?
Yes, luckily I was able to ride the IDM RC8R for two days in Almeria right after our agreement - and it was a 100 percent positive experience. I already thought that the bike must have a good potential, as I raced against it in 2009. The bike feels and sounds very special, like a real race bike and I want to be on it again as soon as possible!
 
When are the next tests planned?
We will go to Valencia on December 10-12. It's a long time since I've ridden there but I like it a lot and I'm looking forward to the tests.
 
What are your favourite IDM circuits?
I like the Sachsenring very much and I also like Schleiz (Schleizer Dreieck). That's a street circuit that they close off for the race. The layout is great and it's very curvy, quite technical and tight.
 
On what circuits would you like to test before the IDM season begins?
I think it would be important for the team to test on circuits where it didn't do so well last season. We should get to know those circuits because it's going to be important that we ride the RC8 R to be consistently up with the fastest in 2010.
 
What do you think will be the team's biggest challenges in the 2010 season?
The season will be tight next year. It won't be easy because there will be more teams that are more competitive. We're every bit as good as all the rest but we have to aim to be up in the top three in every race. That shouldn't be a problem. The bike and the concept are quite new. We just have to keep working to find that bit of extra hp wherever we can and go for it!
 
And finally, you own personal goal for 2010?
That's easy: I want to win the title!
 

- KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG, Mattighofen- also photo