Max Neukirchner (born 20 April 1983 in Stollberg, East Germany) is a professional motorcycle racer currently competing in the Endurance FIM World Championship aboard a Yamaha YZF-R1.

Max Neukirchner
Max Neukirchner
NationalityGerman
Born (1983-04-20) 20 April 1983 (age 41)
Stollberg, Bezirk Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany
Current teamYART Yamaha Official EWC Team
Bike number7
Websitemax-neukirchner.de
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Moto2 World Championship
Active years20112012
ManufacturersMZ-RE-Honda, Kalex-Honda
Championships0
2012 championship position26th (9 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
26 0 0 0 0 51
250cc World Championship
Active years20012003,
ManufacturersHonda
Championships0
2003 championship position31st (1 pt)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
3 0 0 0 0 1
Superbike World Championship
Active years20052010, 20132014
ManufacturersHonda, Ducati, Suzuki
Championships0
2014 championship position23rd (17 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
150 2 10 2 2 848

Career

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Supersport & Superbike World Championship

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In 2004 he competed in the Supersport World Championship riding for Klaffi Honda, finishing the season ranked 9th with 63 points.

For 2005, Neukirchner, along with the Klaffi Honda team, moved to the Superbike World Championship. He got a 3rd place podium finish at Phillip Island (but broke his hand at the next round in Valencia [1]) and finished the season 12th with 123 points.

He looked set to remain with Klaffi Honda in 2006 but the ride eventually went to Alex Barros. Klaffi wasn't able to find the money to run a second bike for Neukirchner and he was left without a ride.[1] He joined Pedercini Ducati but after a poor first half of the season Neukirchner and Pedercini announced their split.[2] Neukirchner went on to replace Fabien Foret at Alstare Eng. Corona Extra. He finished the season 18th with 28 points.[3]

For 2007 Neukirchner rode for Suzuki Germany and finished the season ranked ninth overall. The team used the 2006-spec works Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6.

For 2008 he rode a 2007-spec Suzuki GSX-R1000 motorcycle for Team Alstare Suzuki. At Valencia he took his first career pole [2], and lead until the final corner, where he was hit by Carlos Checa, Neukirchner breaking his collarbone. On 27 April 2008 at Assen he achieved his second World Superbike podium finish, finishing behind Troy Bayliss and Checa in the first race [3].

Neukirchner took his maiden victory (and the first for a German rider) in the first race at Monza, his 70th race in SBK. He won by just 0.058 seconds from Noriyuki Haga[4][permanent dead link]. In race 2, he achieved another podium, finishing 2nd to Haga, missing out on victory by 0.009 seconds in a three-way blanket finish. At Miller Motorsport Park he was helped to learn the fastest line through the early part of the track by video of Suzuki's AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies [5]. He did not score another podium that season, but consistent points finishes including four further fourth places allowed him to finish as the top Suzuki in 5th overall.

At Monza he suffered a broken femur in a first-corner crash for which he was blameless.[4]

Although Suzuki Alstare announced in May that he would remain with the team for 2009 and 2010 [6], doubts later surfaced over his future with the team. On 12 October 2009 Suzuki Alstare announced that they would not be offering Neukirchner a contract extension for the 2010 championship after he failed to provide medical evidence that he was fit to race.[5]

On 14 October 2009 it was confirmed that Neukirchner would race for the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team for the 2010 season.[6]

Moto2 World Championship

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For the 2011 season, Neukirchner rode for the MZ Racing Team with a 2010 FTR chassis at the Moto2 World Championship under the technical direction of the Italian company Pro Ride Motorsports (www.proridegp.com).

For the 2012 season, he was riding for the Kiefer Racing Team with a Kalex chassis at the Moto2 World Championship, but left the series after sustained injury in Brno. Neukirchner achieved his best result and his only point scoring finish of the year at Le Mans with 7th place.

Career highlights

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2003- 9th, IDM Supersport Championship #7 Honda CBR600RR
2004- 9th, Supersport World Championship #76 Honda CBR600RR
2005- 12th, Superbike World Championship #76 Ducati 999R
2006- 18th, Superbike World Championship #76 Ducati 999R / Suzuki GSX-R1000
2007- 9th, Superbike World Championship #76 Suzuki GSX-R1000
2008- 5th, Superbike World Championship #76 Suzuki GSX-R1000
2009- 16th, Superbike World Championship #76 Suzuki GSX-R1000
2010- 18th, Superbike World Championship #76 Honda CBR1000RR
2011- 20th, Moto2 World Championship #76 MZ-RE Honda
2012- 26th, Moto2 World Championship #76 Kalex
2013- 14th, Superbike World Championship #27 Ducati 1199 Panigale
2014- 2nd, IDM Superbike Championship #76 Ducati 1199 Panigale
2015- 6th, IDM Superbike Championship #76 Yamaha YZF-R1
2016- 7th, IDM Superbike Championship #76 / 6th, Endurance FIM World Championship #7 Yamaha YZF-R1
2017- Endurance FIM World Championship #7 Yamaha YZF-R1

Career statistics

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Grand Prix motorcycle racing

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By season

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Season Class Motorcycle Team Number Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd
2011 Moto2 MZ-RE-Honda MZ Racing Team 76 16 0 0 0 0 42 20th
2012 Moto2 Kalex-Honda Kiefer Racing 76 10 0 0 0 0 9 26th
Total 26 0 0 0 0 51

By class

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Class Seasons 1st GP 1st Pod 1st Win Race Win Podiums Pole FLap Pts WChmp
Moto2 2011–2012 2011 Qatar 26 0 0 0 0 51 0

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

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Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pos. Pts
2001 250cc Honda JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER
18
CZE POR VAL PAC AUS MAL BRA NC 0
2002 250cc Honda JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER
19
CZE POR BRA PAC
MAL AUS VAL NC 0
2003 250cc Honda JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER
15
CZE POR BRA PAC MAL AUS VAL 31st 1
2011 Moto2 MZ-RE-Honda QAT
15
SPA
10
POR
DNS
FRA
15
CAT
10
GBR
12
NED
10
ITA
8
GER
Ret
CZE
Ret
INP
24
RSM
Ret
ARA
13
JPN
18
AUS
Ret
MAL
Ret
VAL
9
20th 42
2012 Moto2 Kalex QAT
30
SPA
Ret
POR
20
FRA
7
CAT
17
GBR
17
NED
Ret
GER
18
ITA
Ret
INP
21
CZE
DNS
RSM ARA JPN MAL AUS VAL 26th 9

Supersport World Championship

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Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos Pts
2004 Honda SPA
14
AUS
8
SMR
Ret
ITA
6
GER
5
GBR
11
EUR
11
NED
7
ITA
11
FRA
8
9th 63

Superbike World Championship

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Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
2005 Honda QAT
Ret
QAT
8
AUS
4
AUS
3
SPA
Ret
SPA
12
ITA
Ret
ITA
Ret
EUR
7
EUR
18
SMR
Ret
SMR
Ret
CZE
14
CZE
Ret
GBR
10
GBR
11
NED
8
NED
7
GER
7
GER
7
ITA
7
ITA
C
FRA
8
FRA
8
12th 123
2006 Ducati QAT
10
QAT
Ret
AUS
18
AUS
13
ESP
Ret
ESP
18
ITA
Ret
ITA
Ret
EUR
16
EUR
Ret
SMR SMR CZE CZE GBR GBR 18th 28
Suzuki NED
6
NED
Ret
GER
13
GER
Ret
ITA
Ret
ITA
Ret
FRA
12
FRA
14
2007 Suzuki QAT
6
QAT
10
AUS
8
AUS
8
EUR
8
EUR
10
SPA
12
SPA
10
NED
10
NED
7
ITA
10
ITA
12
GBR
10
GBR
C
SMR
9
SMR
10
CZE
9
CZE
12
GBR
10
GBR
10
GER
Ret
GER
10
ITA
Ret
ITA
10
FRA
4
FRA
Ret
9th 149
2008 Suzuki QAT
5
QAT
8
AUS
7
AUS
5
SPA
Ret
SPA
DNS
NED
3
NED
5
ITA
1
ITA
2
USA
4
USA
2
GER
3
GER
3
SMR
1
SMR
7
CZE
7
CZE
5
GBR
7
GBR
4
EUR
Ret
EUR
14
ITA
4
ITA
4
FRA
5
FRA
9
POR
Ret
POR
4
5th 311
2009 Suzuki AUS
2
AUS
6
QAT
Ret
QAT
6
SPA
3
SPA
7
NED
13
NED
9
ITA
DNS
ITA
DNS
RSA RSA USA USA SMR SMR GBR GBR CZE CZE GER GER ITA ITA FRA FRA POR POR 16th 75
2010 Honda AUS
12
AUS
16
POR
Ret
POR
15
SPA
13
SPA
17
NED
20
NED
9
ITA
12
ITA
12
RSA
19
RSA
17
USA
12
USA
12
SMR
14
SMR
14
CZE
Ret
CZE
Ret
GBR
11
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
GER
15
ITA
14
ITA
12
FRA
13
FRA
12
18th 54
2013 Ducati AUS
10
AUS
11
SPA
11
SPA
12
NED
11
NED
12
ITA
12
ITA
10
GBR
14
GBR
12
POR
13
POR
11
ITA
12
ITA
13
RUS
7
RUS
C
GBR
12
GBR
12
GER
Ret
GER
9
TUR
DNS
TUR
DNS
USA
USA
FRA
FRA
SPA
14
SPA
11
14th 91
2014 Ducati AUS
AUS
SPA
SPA
NED
NED
ITA
ITA
GBR
GBR
MAL
MAL
SMR
SMR
POR
POR
USA
USA
SPA
SPA
FRA
9
FRA
6
QAT
QAT
23rd 17

References

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  1. ^ Neukirchner out, Barros poised to join. Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Kurtis Roberts replaces Neukirchner at Pedercini. Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Neukirchner replaces Foret at Alstare. Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Neukirchner suffers broken femur
  5. ^ "Suzuki cut ties with Neukirchner – Guintoli moves to WSB". Insidebikes. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  6. ^ "Neukirchner confirmed at Ten Kate". Insidebikes. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
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