Rico Penzkofer targets top 10 finishes as he returns to Isle of Man TT
Wednesday 30 March 2011
TT
After almost achieving a 125mph lap last year, German racer Rico Penzkofer is targeting a top 10 finish at the 2011 Isle of Man TT fuelled by Monster Energy.
In only his second year at the TT, Penzkofer secured a best lap of 124.926mph on his way to 12th place in the Senior TT.
The 35-year-old has confirmed he will race again in 2011, and has his sights on top 10 finishes as he continues his quest to follow in the footsteps of some of his illustrious countrymen and step on to the podium.
He will once again line up for the SK Support ream, riding BMW machinery in the Superbike and Senior races and Yamaha for the two Supersport races.
Germany has an excellent record on the Mountain Course with Georg Meier and Werner Haas having taken victories in the solo category and Walter Schneider, Fritz Hillebrand, Max Deubel, Klaus Enders, Siggi Schauzu, Georg Auerbacher, Heinz Luthringhauser and Rolf Steinhausen dominating the sidecar class in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
However, the nation has not enjoyed the same level of success in recent years - Helmut Dahne was the last German to finish on the rostrum when he took second in the 1986 Production B TT, while the late Klaus Klein in 1982 and 1984 and Peter Rubatto in 1985 both finished fourth.
Rubatto’s seventh in the 1987 World Formula One Race was the last time a German rider took a top 10 finish, but Penzkofer has a great chance of replicating that in 2011.
On his TT debut in 2009, the Borna rider won two bronze replicas in the Supersport races, a best finish of 30th and a fastest lap of 119.24mph. Last year, riding a BMW, he made a massive step forward to secure 17th in the Superbike TT, including a 124mph lap, as well as 12th in the Senior.
The World Endurance Championship race winner now has five bronze replicas and is the 27th fastest rider ever to lap the 37 ¾-mile course.
TT and Motorsport Development Manager Paul Phillips said:
“Germany has a strong TT tradition and while they have not had much success recently, it’s great to see Rico coming through the ranks.”
“I’m sure that he’ll add to his country’s illustrious TT history if he achieves the results that his talent deserves.”