ROAD RACING RR125 WCH
29 April 2006 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

3rd Round, Final Qualifying: Grand Prix of Turkey / Istanbul Park

Turkish Qualifying Disrupted By Rain

Not many people can say that they have crossed continents to get to work in the morning, but that’s certainly true of the Red Bull KTM GP teams this weekend, as they contest the Turkish Grand Prix at the Istanbul Park Circuit. Leaving the hotel on the European side of Istanbul in the morning, a trip across the Bosporus takes them to Asia, where the circuit is located.

23-year old “Flying Finn'' Mika Kallio and his young Spanish team mate Julian Simon set their starting positions already during first qualifying on Friday as rain disrupted this afternoons final qualifying session, during which nobody was able to improve upon their dry times from yesterday. Both will start tomorrows race from the second row of the grid, with Kallio finishing just two tenths of a second off the front row in fifth position, and Simon just two places back in seventh.

Red Bull KTM Juniors, Stefan Bradl and Michael Ranseder will start the race from 29th and 31st position on the grid respectively.

All four Red Bull KTM riders remain confident of strong performances in tomorrows race, as they enjoy the technical demands of the 5.340km Istanbul Park circuit, which features 14 turns and no less then three changes of elevation throughout its length. Again, all four riders declared themselves satisfied that they had found chassis and engine set-ups that ewill work regardless of the weather conditions for tomorrows 19-lap Turkish Grand Prix.

Mika Kallio # 36 Red Bull KTM GP 125 – 5th position – 2’04.883
”I don’t have so much to say now after the second qualifying in the rain. Yesterday at the end of qualifying we had an electrical problem with my number one bike; an earth cable on the ignition coil broke on one of my flying laps. Today I also had some slight problems with my number two machine, and it was difficult to make a real fast lap. So it’s hard to say if we found a real good set up for tomorrows race, which is supposed to be a wet race maybe. But my feeling is not so bad and I believe we will score some points, which will be important for the championship.”

Julian Simon # 60 Red Bull KTM GP 125 – 7th position –2’05.122
“I felt not so bad with the rain during second qualifying, even if I did slide off the track, but I had no problem to continue after. Also with my times for the first time participating at Istanbul Park I’m happy. Last year I couldn’t race because of my broken wrist from Phillip Island. So with the seventh position for tomorrows race I’m satisfied, and as I don’t mind rain I’m looking forward to taking a good result back home. ''

Stefan Bradl # 17 Red Bull KTM Junior Team – 29th position – 2’08.354
”I was a bit too anxious in the wet. First I went out with a new tyre and already had a few real big slides. Later I was a bit cautious, that’s why my times were not so good. But for tomorrow we prepared a good gear box and as I improve step by step also in the wet, it might be another good experience here in my fifth GP.”

Michael Ranseder # 9 Red Bull KTM Junior Team – 31st position – 2’08.658 ''For me today’s practice went well. This morning in the first part of dry free practice I could improve my time from yesterday by a second. Now in the rain I found a good rhythm and my confidence was building up lap by lap. I get the feeling that this track surface is giving good grip also in the wet. This means I will fight as hard as I can and as hard as it is possible.”

Photo courtesy of KTM

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