RR WCH 125 ROUND 8: DUTCH TT MIKA KALLIO ON POLE AGAIN
23 June 2006 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

Assen Final Qualifying (23.06.2006)

Red Bull KTM rider Mika Kallio has picked up his second pole position for the season on the newly designed Assen circuit.

The eighth race of the Road Racing World Championship is taking place at the historic racing circuit of Assen, which has been remodeled over the winter because of environmental and security reasons. The northern part of the circuit has been drastically reduced, shrinking the distance from almost 6 km to 4.555 km. This also means that the Red Bull KTM riders will ride a 22 lap race instead of the previous 17.

The 19-year-old Spaniard Julian Simon is not taking part in the race at Assen. He broke his thigh during a race crash last weekend in Barcelona and will probably not be back on the track until round 11 at Brno in the Czech Republic.

Red Bull KTM Junior Stefan Bradl will start the race from place 24 on the grid. Because of technical problems, Michael Ranseder will start at grid position 40.

Mika Kallio # 36 Red Bull KTM GP 125 — Pole Position— 1’44.532
“Assen has always been one of my favorite circuits and now I have to get used to the new layout. The first part is certainly not my thing. I tried to push right from the beginning but I ran into heavy traffic. Even in my fastest lap I was held up a bit in the final sector and that means things look pretty good for tomorrow. My KTM is running perfectly and I am pleased about getting the second pole for this season, which is also the second in Assen. I would like to dedicate the pole to my colleague Julian Simon who is still in hospital in Barcelona. Get well soon, Julito!“

Julian Simon # 60 Red Bull KTM GP 125 – verletzungsbedingt kein Start

Stefan Bradl # 17 Red Bull KTM Junior Team — 24th Position — 1’46.632
“It didn’t go so well for me yesterday in qualifying and I said that the time was something in my head. Today I found a good rhythm and I was able to ride my fastest lap alone. I was held up a little bit at the end of my fastest lap, so it was ok for me.”

Michael Ranseder # 9 Red Bull KTM Junior Team — 40th Position — 1’48.098
“Yesterday in the first qualifying I had problems with a slipping clutch. That problem was fixed then it started to rain. This morning I also had problems some electronical or electrical thing the team thought. Unfortunately I had the same problem in the second qualifying and now I have to be satisfied with the 40th starting place. I have never been this far back. “

Track: dry
Air: 19°C

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