Slovakiaring 2026

It was clear from the outset that we wouldn’t need wet tyres at the Slovakiaring. The forecast promised a battle in the heat, and it wasn’t wrong. Friday was all about getting into the groove and adjusting to the temperatures. The thermometer read 39°C, faces were suitably red, and pools had sprung up all over the paddock. The circuit was in excellent condition once again, but the heat had everyone agonising over tyre choice. Even so, lap times in the low 2:10s were already appearing on the timing screens. At the end of the day, teams discussed endurance strategies, made their first preparations for race day and headed to bed early.

Saturday added another few degrees – it was absolutely roasting. As midday approached, the paddock became a hive of activity. Everyone moved their equipment into the pit lane and prepared for four hours of racing in the heat. A total of 32 teams took on the challenge, with the endurance race starting at 2 pm. Before we get into the results, it’s worth mentioning that we completed the race without a single safety car period, with just three minor crashes and one technical retirement. Incredible, given the brutal temperatures.

SBK

On such a fast circuit, SBK naturally had the biggest field, with 23 teams taking on the challenge on the big bikes. Polizeisportverein Tirol were fastest, showing what was possible with a 2:09, but NB Racing also had a very strong line-up. Los Patienten had won the endurance race in 2025 and wanted another shot at victory. Krachpolnikoff were also on the grid, with ambitions of finishing the 2026 championship on top. Polizeisportverein Tirol got away brilliantly and, together with NB Racing, consistently banged in laps in the 2:12s to build an early advantage. Those two teams would occupy the top two places throughout the race. The battle for third was just as fierce. Los Patienten, Eierköppe and Krachpolnikoff made no mistakes and kept the pace high. NB Racing repeatedly closed in on Polizeisportverein Tirol and even passed them at times, but a botched changeover ultimately cost them the win. Polizeisportverein Tirol took victory with 104 laps completed, a minute and a half ahead of NB Racing. Los Patienten finished third on 102 laps, narrowly ahead of Eierköppe. Krachpolnikoff took the points for fifth, while Team der österreichisch-deutschen Freundschaft snatched the final trophy place, just ahead of Chaos Racing.

SSP

Just five teams entered the Supersport class. Sexy Kekse, already seriously quick, had strengthened their line-up with another rapid rider in Jannik Cerkez. EW-Bau & KFM Austria were very fast too, while Team goldene Ananas also had high hopes. Radeberger Factory Racing were back with their full line-up and looking to score championship points. Only Rumroller had decided early on to take things easy and head out for a few laps whenever they fancied it. In the end, there was even a trophy for a rider who shall remain nameless, despite him not completing a single lap. Good job, Stevee ;-)
But first things first: Sexy Kekse meant business from the outset, taking a lead they never relinquished. A four-lap margin over second place made quite a statement. Unfortunately, Team goldene Ananas suffered technical problems caused by the heat and had to settle for fourth. The Radeberger crew were rewarded for a mistake-free race with third, while EW-Bau & KFM Austria secured second despite a crash.

FUN

There were just four teams in the FUN class. MiMiMi Racing wanted to show once again who was boss, but PEMA Racing had a strong line-up and a few more horsepower at their disposal. 890R Alliance had already shown their potential at Groß Dölln and wanted to fight at the front too. WFA Racing also fielded an endurance team, although qualifying suggested the top three would be hard to match. PEMA Racing took the lead off the line, and they and MiMiMi spent the entire first stint circulating wheel to wheel. Technical gremlins struck 890R Alliance: their KTMs struggled with the heat, and a few physical niggles added to their troubles, dropping them to last. After two and a half hours, though, they found their feet again, reclaiming third and beating WFA. MiMiMi Racing passed PEMA Racing after an hour and were untouchable from then on. They took the win with 96 laps completed, three laps clear of PEMA.

The finish was fantastic. Everyone was delighted to have made it through four hours in such intense heat, and spirits were high. The podium ceremony was great fun too, and with everyone invited to enjoy a hog roast and free beer, it turned into a lovely evening with plenty of bike chat.

By 7:30 am on Sunday, the temperature was already above 30°C, but there were still sprint races on the programme. Time to summon those last reserves of energy and head for the grid. The strain of racing in the heat prompted many riders to withdraw, so we ran just two sprint races. SBK and SSP took to the track, while the Rookies had a break.

Sprint SBK

The heat had taken its toll on the SBK field too: of the 30 riders registered, only 11 lined up on the grid. Kilian Holzer had pole and took no prisoners. He led off the line and consistently lapped in the 2:09s, leaving everyone else without a chance. Michael Molnar crossed the line 24 seconds later in second, with Andreas Binder third. The podium was firmly in Austrian hands, and none of the three felt the need to battle one another – the order stayed the same throughout the race.

Sprint SSP

The SSP grid was also considerably smaller than the original entry list. Max Milde made a sensational start, charging from tenth on the grid to third into the first corner. Shortly afterwards, though, he began to slip back and eventually finished eighth. Dawid Rzymek took the lead off the line ahead of Jannik Cerkez and put in several laps in the 2:13s to build enough of a gap to secure victory over Jannik. Andre Gorschkow held third, but with three laps to go, the slipping clutch on his Panigale was already audible, and his lap times began to drop away. Ondrej Kreydler was closing in, but Andre nursed his wounded Ducati home to salvage third.

After the podium ceremonies, there was an open pit lane for anyone with some energy left.

We would like to thank every rider, helper and supporter for a fantastic event. Thanks also to the lovely Austrian crew from GAP Motorsport – it was great fun having you with us.
Unfortunately, the heat also put paid to our photography service: our photographer broke down at the Czech border, so we only have amateur photos this time.
As always, you can find your lap times in your MotoMonster booking account or in the Pitboard app, where you’ll also find the latest MEC championship standings.