SACHSENRING FINAL QUALIFYING (15.07.2006)
15 July 2006 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

RR WCH 125 10th Race: German Grand Prix

Mika Kallio start fourth on the grid for Sunday’s race

Mika Kallio won here last year so the Red Bull KTM GP 125 comes to this circuit near Chemnitz with good memories. Now Mika has laid the foundation for another successful race on Sunday and starts on the fourth slot on the grid for the German 125 Grand Prix.

The 16 year old Swiss Randy Krummenacher is again the second man in the KTM team for the 125 GP, just as he was for the British Grand Prix in Donington. He stands in for the now recuperating Julian Simon - the Spaniard who is the regular team rider. Randy qualified with a credible 20th place, just 1.7 seconds behind the pole leader.
Julian is presently with his family in Toledo/Spain preparing with rehabilitation training ahead of his comeback, envisioned for the Czech Grand Prix in Brno.

Red Bull KTM Junior Stefan Bradl is doing his best to relieve himself of self-imposed mental pressure to be able to ride in his usual fashion at the Sachsenring circuit. With his 17th grid position, he has proved that he is on the right track to achieving this. His team colleague Michael Ranseder will not start following a crash during testing in Brno last Wednesday. He injured his pelvis and is only able to wish his colleagues good luck for the race as a spectator. The young Austrian also plans to make his comeback at the Brno Grand Prix.

Also racing at the Sachsenring is the 15-year old Robin Lässer. Like Randy Krummenacher, he is being schooled in the Red Bull ADAC KTM Juniors for bigger and better things. Lässer, from Allgäu, will be racing in his first ever Grand Prix and starts at grid position 36.

The 10th race in the World Motorcycle Championships is taking place at the Sachsenring, a circuit with a rich 70-year tradition of motor sports. The 3.671 km long circuit snakes its way across the hilly landscape of the town of Hohenstein-Ernsthal through 10 left hand- and four right hand corners.

Mika Kallio # 36 Red Bull KTM GP 125 – 4th position– 1’27.607
“We tried many different set ups and we will change my better engine into the bike I found had the better chassis set up. Then I’m positive we have a good combination for tomorrow’s race. During yesterday’s and today’s practice it was very difficult to find a clear track to set the best time. I always ran into traffic. Also, the pole time is very fast but we are not too far off. So I think it looks good for an exciting race tomorrow.”

Randy Krummenacher # 54 Red Bull KTM GP 125 – 20th position – 1’28.764
“It wasn’t too bad for me up to my crash in the first corner after the start/finish. I managed to improve my yesterday’s time to 1’28.7. After the highsider I ran back quickly and went out on the spare bike and was quickly able to put in another good 1’29 time. But I wasn’t able to improve any further like I had planned to do. Place 20 on the grid is naturally not bad but I was really hoping to secure my provisional 15th start place from yesterday. Well, I am only 1.7 seconds off the fastest, which is not bad. I’ll try to get a good start tomorrow and to finish with my first point.”

Stefan Bradl # 17 Red Bull KTM Junior Team – 17th position – 1’28.622
“I have to say that I have learnt something again. It’s really hard going to finish in the top 20 in practice here. I’ll try to get a good start in the race and let’s see what happens.“

Robin Lässer # 61 Red Bull ADAC KTM Juniors– 36th position – 1’29.971
”Five minutes before the end of qualifying when I was out doing my fastest lap a rider crashed right in front of me and I couldn’t get out of the way. I took a big slide and turned over a couple of times in the gravel so I am a bit flustered at the moment. I had really hoped for something better than the 36th starting place but I did manage a time of 1’29. I’ll have to see how my hand is tomorrow. Now It’s really hurting.“

Circuit: dry / 36°C
Air Temperature: 20°C

Photo courtesy of KTM

www.ktm.at

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