Kallio rescues fourth place in German GP; best ever KTM
result for Simon
Red Bull KTM 250 star Mika Kallio fought against wet conditions
in the German Grand Prix to finish in fourth place while Julian
Simon of the Repsol KTM 250 team put in his best race result
since joining the KTM line-up on the grid.
Kallio, the 25-year-old Finn held onto second place for 12
laps but was forced to let some of the opposition overtake
when heavy rain started to fall. Instead he adjusted his calculating
style of riding to suit the prevailing difficult conditions
and still achieved the best possible result. Kallio, who had
held the lead in the world championship standings, is now
in second place, eleven points behind Sunday's winner Marco
Simoncelli.
Great result for Julian Simon
Simon also enjoyed a great day despite trying conditions.
The Spaniard catapulted himself from his second place on the
grid, maintained his position in the front group and finished
fifth. Last year's winner Hiroshi Aoyama was not so lucky.
Kallio's Red Bull KTM team-mate crashed when he was in fifth
place but quickly rejoined the race and managed to finish
in eighth position.
Enthusiastic orange supporters
Despite the rain, the German GP was made more colourful with
the enthusiastic support of 1500 dedicated fans of the orange
machines made in Austria in the special KTM stand who went
all out to support the KTM riders.
What the KTM riders said
Mika Kallio (Red Bull KTM 250 - fourth)
"We were quite ok in the dry conditions because everything
ran rather well. But as we had already established, the wet
race conditions were not really the best for us. We had expected
a bit more than this fourth place but we already noticed in
the morning warm-up that something was missing. I just didn't
have the right feel fro the bike and we were missing a bit
of grip with the tyres. We made a few changes on the set-up
for the race, which made my job a little easier. I didn't
get away that well at the start and I lost a couple of positions.
But I got into the rhythm after five or six laps and I was
in second for quite a while but then it started to rain quite
heavily. There was water on the circuit in some places and
it looked like Aprilia had a slight advantage on us in these
conditions. I put on as much pressure as I could but Barbera
and Bautista still overtook me. I just didn't have a chance
to stick with them. I was a bit surprised at how fast Aprilia
was. Now we a re in second in the standings and the only thing
left for us is to work harder and get back on top!"
Julian Simon (Repsol KTM 250 - fifth)
"I am very happy, not just about the race today but also
with how the weekend went in general. My team and I worked
very well and efficiently and we got the maximum out of it
all. We have to continue this kind of work for the coming
races because I'm convinced that we can be up with the best
for the rest of the races this season. About the race today
I would have likes to hang onto Bautista and Barbera and fought
for a podium place but they were just a fraction faster that
we were. But I'm still satisfied, also because my arm, which
has been giving me problems in many of the earlier races,
was really ok today!"
Hiroshi Aoyama (Red Bull KTM 250 - eighth)
"It was a difficult race. I had quite a good rhythm but
right from my start position in the third row I didn't have
too many possibilities. Nevertheless I was able to make good
a few places and move up to the second group. Then I applied
a bit too much pressure. I went over the limit and then I
was on the ground. Luckily I was able to get back in the race
and finish. It was certainly no perfect day but better than
nothing. I didn't get injured and I hope that we can be better
in Brno. We've already tested there and that should help us."
Harald Bartol (Technical Director)
"After the disaster of last week with Mika's big crash
while we were testing, we got away rather mildly in this race.
I certainly don't blame him that he was a bit more careful
in the race today. Julian had his best race so far, even when
he did hold up Mika a couple of times. But that's what racing
is all about and every rider has his own share of ambition!"
Results
1. Marco Simoncelli, Italy, Gilera, 45:36.703
2. Hector Barbera, Spain, Aprilia, 45:38.960
3. Alvaro Bautista, Spain, Aprilia, 45:39.126
4. Mika Kallio, Finland, Red Bull KTM 250, KTM, 45:40.853
5. Julian Simon, Spain, Repsol KTM 250cc, KTM, 45:41.549
Other KTM
8. Hiroshi Aoyama, Japan, Red Bull KTM 250, KTM, 46:25.629
Championship Standings
1. Marco Simoncelli, Italy, 164
2. Mika Kallio, Finland, Red Bull KTM 250, 153
3. Alvaro Bautista, Spain, 118
4. Alex Debon, Spain, 114
5. Hector Barbera, Spain, 113
Other KTM
7. Hiroshi Aoyama, Japan, Red Bull KTM 250, 98
10. Julian Simon, Spain, Repsol KTM 250cc, 68
13.07.2008
Rabat, Marquez and Nieto all score points at Sachsenring
Three KTM riders performed well to finish in the championship
points in the 125 ccm class on the Sachsenring on Sunday in
the Grand Prix of Germany.
Esteve Rabat of the Repsol KTM 125 team finished in ninth
place while Spanish GP rookie Marc Marquez made a great charge
from the back of the field and stormed from place 19 to place
10. Onde 2000 KTM rider Pablo Nieto also secured one point
for his fifteenth place finish. Red Bull KTM rider Randy Krummenacher
was unlucky and had to retire due to technical problems. ISPA
KTM Aran rider Tomoyoshi Koyama crashed during a battle with
Marquez.
What the KTM riders said
Esteve Rabat (Repsol KTM 125 - ninth)
"My bike went fantastically in the rain but I did make
a few mistakes. I overtook a number of times but then I lost
ground and the advantage with these mistakes. At the end of
the day it was nevertheless a good result and I am satisfied."
Marc Marquez (Repsol KTM 125 - tenth)
"I didn't dare to dream about this result because the
weekend began with many complications. But I felt good in
the race. The rhythm was not so intense and that allowed me
to move up the order. Later in the race Koyama left a gap
and as I was going in beside him we touched and he crashed.
I am sorry it happened but such things happen in racing."
Randy Krummenacher (Red Bull KTM 125 - DNF)
I noticed in the first lap that my bike wasn't running as
it usually does. Then the motor blocked in the second lap
and that was the end of my race. Of course I am very disappointed
because I had big expectations for this Grand Prix. It's a
great atmosphere at the Sachsenring and I really like riding
here!"
Harald Bartol (Technical Director)
"Among the 125s not only Rabat and Marquez but also Koyama
was very strong. It's a shame that Marquez and Koyama touched
and because of that Koyama missed out on a good race result.
But sometimes it's like that in racing!"
Results
1. Mike de Meglio, France, Derbi, 40:03.710
2. Stefan Bradl, Germany, Aprilia, 40:05.720
3. Gabor Talmacsi, Hungary, Aprilia 40:06.443
4. Bradley Smith, Britain, Aprilia 40:06.557
5. Simone Corsi, Italy, Aprilia, 40:12.827
Other KTM
9. Esteve Rabat, Spain, Repsol KTM 125cc KTM 40:36.021
10. Marc Marquez, Spain, Repsol KTM 125cc KTM 40:36.744
15. Pablo Nieto, Spain, Onde 2000 KTM KTM 40:37.465
DNF
Lorenzo Zanetti, Italy, ISPA KTM Aran
Tomoyoshi Koyama, Japan, ISPA KTM Aran
Raffaele de Rosa, Italy, Onde 2000 KTM KTM
Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland, Red Bull KTM 125
Championship Standings
1 Mike de Meglio, France, 166
2. Simone Corsi, Italy, 136
3. Gabor Talmicsi, Hungary, 109
4. Stefan Bradl, Germany, 101
5. Joan Olive, Spain, 94
Other KTM
14. Marc Marquez, Spain, Repsol KTM 125cc, 32
15. Esteve Rabat, Spain, Repsol KTM 125cc, 31
16. Raffaele de Rosa, Italy, Onde 2000 KTM, 30
18. Tomoyoshi Koyama, Japan, ISPA KTM Aran, 22
22. Pablo Nieto, Spain, Onde 2000 KTM, 12
23. Lorenzo Zanetti, Italy, ISPA KTM Aran, 10
24. Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland, Red Bull KTM 125, 10
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