Michal Dokoupil

Michal Dokoupil, born on April 15, 1980 in the Czech Republic, is a Czech road racing specialist with the number 23, known by the nickname “Indi” (derived from his long, “Native American”-like hair and a tattoo of an Indian with the number 23). At 45 years old (as of September 2025), he is considered one of the most successful Czech riders in international road racing, with a focus on challenging events such as the Isle of Man TT, Ulster Grand Prix (UGP), and Manx Grand Prix. Dokoupil began his career in the 2000s in Czech national series and established himself internationally with his TT debut in 2009. He grew up in a motorcycle-enthusiastic environment in the Brno region and made his debut in local cups around 2005, inspired by Czech pioneers such as Karel Hanika. Dokoupil, who lives near Brno, is a trained mechanic and balances his sport with his job, intensive training (e.g., simulator and gym), and family (married, father). His motto: “Road racing je môj život” (Road racing is my life) – a quote from a 2014 interview that underscores his deep passion. He primarily raced 600cc and 1000cc machines such as the Yamaha YZF-R6, Suzuki GSX-R1000, and Honda CBR600RR for teams such as Cookson Racing, AIR Kawasaki, and Indi Racing (his own team structure). Known for his aggressiveness, consistency, and willingness to take risks on “natural okruhoch” (natural tracks), he shared lineups with riders such as Tom Weeden. His career spans over 150 races, with highlights in Ireland and the Isle of Man: in 2016, he won the Senior Manx Grand Prix and the Irish Road Race Lightweight 400/450 titles. An early international foray was into the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) in 2011, where he competed for the Boenig Penz13.com team in the Bol d’Or – an introduction to the endurance discipline. Despite setbacks such as crashes (e.g., UGP 2015) and breaks (e.g., 2011–2015), he returned in 2023/2024. With over 20 wins to his name, Dokoupil is a “Czech Road Legend” – he inspired a generation and is committed to safety through interviews and camps. His philosophy: “Every win is for the Czech Republic” – a legacy as an “Indi” who popularized road racing in his home country.

Important racing successes

Dokoupil’s career has been marked by road racing victories in Ireland and the Isle of Man, with a focus on lightweight and superbike classes. He has won several national and international titles. Here is an overview of the highlights (not exhaustive; based on TT, Manx GP, UGP, Irish Road Race, and EWC results):

Notes on success: Dokoupil’s 2016 double (Manx Senior + Irish Lightweight) is his pinnacle; multiple UGP victories (2011, 2016) make him a multiple winner. TT (since 2009, 8 starts) with consistent top-30 finishes; 2025 Super Twin 9th place (Indi Racing Aprilia) his best TT result. 2025 Czech TT EST-RRC victory (Horice) a home highlight; foundation of the Czech Cup; no world championship titles, but a road racing icon in the Czech Republic.

Contract with Penz13 and races during this time

In 2011, Michal Dokoupil signed a project-based contract with the German BMW team Boenig Penz13.com (managed by Rico Penzkofer), specializing in EWC Superstock. The deal included the Bol d’Or at Magny Cours on the BMW S 1000 RR (#31), as his entry into the endurance discipline. Penz13 chose the 31-year-old Dokoupil for his Czech precision, complementing Christian Bächler (Germany) and Yoshinari Matsushita (Japan), with Rico Penzkofer as reserve. The contract marked Dokoupil’s EWC debut and followed his road racing focus; he contributed aggressive stints and benefited from setup adjustments (gearing, suspension). The cooperation ended after 2011 (focus on road racing); Penz13’s blog (penz13.com) documents it as a “good qualifying” despite race crashes.

Racing with Penz13 (2011): Dokoupil participated in the Bol d’Or; the team qualified top-21 in Superstock, but ended up DNF due to crashes and engine failure.

• FIM EWC – Bol d’Or, Magny Cours (April 16–17, 2011): Qualifying top 21 (44th overall, Superstock) (#31 BMW S 1000 RR). Line-up: Dokoupil, Bächler, Matsushita (Penzkofer reserve). Race: Matsushita crashed (lap 3, 23 minutes lost); Dokoupil took over, crashed twice (before the 3-hour mark and shortly after); hairline crack in the engine case; DNF after 4:18 hours. Solid qualifying despite challenges; “Good setup, but bad luck” (Penzkofer quote).

The partnership was short but instructive – Penz13’s BMW helped in qualifying; Dokoupil’s stints showed potential, despite a DNF.

Current and future plans

As of September 29, 2025 (age 45), Michal Dokoupil is highly active in the road racing season: He recently achieved 9th place in the Super Twin TT Race (June 6, 2025, Indi Racing Aprilia RS660, CasinoGame sponsorship) – his best TT result (reaching the minimum top 10, narrowly missing the top 5 goal). Previously, he won the EST-RRC (European Super Twin, Battle Royale victory in mixed conditions) at the 2025 Czech TT Horice and rode Czech Road Racing (top 5 in 300 Curves Gustav Havel 2024). Dokoupil is planning the Frohburg IRRC final (October 2025) and is testing for local teams (e.g., Brno-Prep). On Instagram/Facebook, he posts about the 2025 TT (“Top 10 in Super Twin – dream come true,” June 2025) and the Czech TT (“Horice was cool but mixed conditions,” May 2025). Privately, he prioritizes his family in the Czech Republic: “Road racing is my life” – his 2014 quote remains valid.

Future plans: Dokoupil aims for 50 TT starts by 2027 (goal: top-5 Super Twin in 2026, AIR Kawasaki). Possible UGP return in 2026 (lightweight title chase). Long-term: Junior academy in the Czech Republic (start in 2028, Indi Motoškola) and TV commentator role on Czech TV (from 2026). “More wins for Czech Road Racing” – quote from TT 2025 chat. No retirement: “On the track until 50!”