RR WCH 125 ROUND 7
19 June 2006 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

Grand Prix of Catalunya Race (18.06.2006)

All over after two laps

Circuit: Dry
Air: 24°C

What looked like it was going to be a good seventh round for the Red Bull KTM GP 125 quickly turned into a black weekend for the young team from Mattighofen/Austria.

“Flying Finn” Mika Kallio and ''Julito'' Julian Simon started the seventh race of the season from grid positions two and six on Spain’s Curcuit de Catalunya. After heavy traffic through the first corners the two KTM factory riders were positioned about 50 meters from the front group. In the third of 22 laps, Mika Kallio touched Corsi’s bike, who had to steady the bike and change line. The two bikes collided which put both riders off into the gravel. Julian Simon fighting for position close to Kallio, couldn’t avoid the crash and became the third victim of the spill, injuring himself in the process. An initial medical examination established that he had fractured his right thigh. The 19-year-old Spaniard has been transported to a clinic in Barcelona where he will be operated on by a specialist on Monday. First evaluation of the situation indicated that Julito will be able to next race again in Brno, Czech Republic on August 20, 2006.

Stefan Bradl and Michael Ranseder also leave the Spanish racing circuit without a race result. Stefan Bradl was banned from racing by the race medical officer because of concussion. For Austrian Michael Ranseder the race was over even in the first lap when he also became a victim of a race accident.

Mika Kallio # 36 Red Bull KTM GP 125 – Crash
“I touched Corsi’s motorbike slightly in lap three in the first corner after the uphill section. That meant I we had to straighten up the bike and Corsi changed the line towards me and in the process we collided and both crashed. Julian was somewhere close behind us and probably he was unable to avoid us.

Julian Simon # 60 Red Bull KTM GP 125 – Crash
“To be honest, right at the moment I am not sure how the crash happened. All I can say is that I have broken my right thigh and I will be operated on here in Barcelona tomorrow. The doctors are saying it’s a clean break and they think I will be fit again for Brno. We’ll know more about it tomorrow.”

Michael Ranseder # 9 Red Bull KTM Junior Team – Crash
“Naturally I was expecting a lot. I had a good start and had made up a couple of places in the first few meters, even though admittedly I didn’t make up too much ground. Then before the first lap was over two riders in front of me collided and crashed. One of the bikes slipped right into my line. I had to ride onto the grass to avoid it and ended up in an air fence. I got a whack in the upper body and my right ring finger is swollen but luckily nothing else happened.”

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