After the first race, Martin Bauer and Matej Smrz stood on the second and third podium steps, but they’ll probably just want to put the second race behind them as soon as possible.

Right at the halfway point of the German Superbike Championship (the Sachsenring hosted the fourth of eight rounds), there was an unfortunate upset at the top. After their outstanding second- and third-place wins with their KTM RC8 R in the first race, Bauer and Smrz found that the second one didn’t turn out quite the way they expected.

After the start, the German and Czech riders took the lead, but then Smrz crashed in the fastest corner of the circuit and took Bauer down with him. They both ended up without any all-important points and so they’re no longer at the top of the overall standings: Smrz is second, eight points behind the leading Karl Muggeridge, and Bauer is third, only a point behind Smrz.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the two KTM riders using Akrapovič exhausts will come roaring back to top form in the next race, which will take place at the beginning of June at the Salzburgring in Austria.

Photo: Buenos Dias / KTM Images