RR WCH 250 16TH ROUND
14 October 2006 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

Grand Prix of Portugal / Estoril 2ndQualifying

“Hiro” Hiroshi Aoyama misses out on pole by just five hundredths of a second

23-year-old Hiroshi Aoyama starts in the penultimate race of the season in second grid position on the front row. The convivial Japanese after missing the pole position by five hundredths of a second. Red Bull KTM GP 250 teammate Manuel Poggiali will start in 18th place for Sunday’s race.

Hiroshi Aoyama escaped an unusual incident on the Fernanda Pires da Silva Circuit with just a fright. At the beginning of the Fridays qualifying a drainage lid in the track was compressed so hard as bikes rode over it that it stood perpendicular and Hiroshi Aoyama rode straight into the metal part. Both tyres on the KTM FRR 250 were cut open and the exhaust was damaged. Fortunately the 24-year-old Aoyama was able to avoid a crash and escaped with just bruises.

Hiroshi Aoyama #4 Red Bull KTM GP 250 – 2nd Position – 1’41.570
“Today it was very difficult. Of course it is never easy racing and especially with our new project, it is quite hard every time. But I must say here at Estoril I’m very happy as we are very competitive. We’re competitive engine-wise and the chassis, in fact the whole machine is working well. We just have to remember that qualifying and the race itself are two different things. We will have a meeting now to make a plan for tomorrow to make sure the will also will have a good race after the good qualification result.”

Track: dry /38°C
Air Temperature: 26°C
Humidity: 20 %

GP 250 Race Sunday, 15th October 11:15 local time
Time difference: Estoril = GMT +1

www.ktm.at

More News
  For October 2006
  From KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG
  For 250
  Biker247.com Home Page