KALLIO QUALIFIES ON FRONT ROW FOR TURKISH GP
22 October 2005 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

Mika Kallio will start his Red Bull KTM from third position on the front row for today''s inaugural Turkish Grand Prix at the Istanbul Park circuit.

Kallio is spearheading KTM''s assault on the world championship -- he is personally bidding for the riders'' title but the manufacturers championship is also within KTM''s reach.

For makers championship Kallio and teammate Gabor Talmacsi can both score points, and tomorrow''s 19 lap race could decide the championship.

KTM leads Honda by 25 points going into the race. For the riders title Kallio trails Thomas Luthi, who qualified on pole position here, by 12 points.

Talmacsi has qualified in eighth position on the all-new, 5.34 km circuit which proving to be a difficult challenge with its combination of both fast and tight corners, plus dramatic elevation changes.

Today''s qualifying was run in sunny but cool conditions with both Kallio and Talmacsi improving their times from yesterday''s first qualifying session.

Kallio posted his fastest time late in the session but lost crucial time as he battled traffic through the slow, first gear section at the final corner.

Although slightly faster than yesterday Talmacsi was unhappy with his performance and in search of a more competitive set-up in all areas - engine, suspension and gearbox.

KTM''s third factory rider, Julian Simon, will not race tomorrow having returned home to Spain to recuperate from a fractured left wrist suffered at last week''s Phillip Island race.

MIKA KALLIO #36 - Third - 2''04.115

''There was a lot of traffic and I always had three or four riders waiting behind for a tow, so I waited until the end of the session but still lost some time with traffic. I like this track very much but it is difficult to find the perfect set-up to do a fast time. Mainly I''m losing time in the first section, but hopefully we can fix this for the race. Today I tried a harder compound front tyre which was better on the brakes but I lost some time on corner entry to the fast turns -- perhaps the softer tyre is better for a fast lap but it is the race that counts.''

GABOR TALMACSI #14 - Eighth - 2''05.107

''That was a very difficult session. I pushed very hard but did not find it easy to make a fast lap -- it was difficult everywhere, both in the fast and slow sections. We have to change settings in all areas to be faster for the race -- engine, suspension and gearbox. I expected more today but also I made some mistakes because I was pushing so hard. I''m hoping for a better result in the race.''

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