Sepang MotoGP Test: KTM: Red Bull aero? ‘What matters is on track’ Coach Kallio
KTM elected not to send itsඣ riders back on track after a 3:30pm downpour, in order to save their allocation of wet testing tyres,൲ leaving the factory with 12 officially timed laps for Folger (+2.5s) split between two machines.
However, Pedrosa's bikes were not fitted with tra🧸nsponders and he was rumoured to have been the fastest of all.
“It was going quite well [until the rain],” Risse told mahbx.com. “It’s a Shakedown tes😼t, it’s not intended t🐲o be the main performance test, so we are looking more into the things that later on have to run perfect.
“We still have some things to tune and check that all the bikes are fine, but we’re happy. It all went well. We got some stuff sorted and we have plenty more items but we will be led by the w🎐eather here.”
Among those ‘items’ will be new aerodynamic parts, designed in partnership with Red Bu𝓰ll Advanced Technꩲologies.
“We have quite a few versi𒈔ons and a lot of pre-testing in the wind tunnel etc already. But in the end, what matters is what happens on the track. So we’ll see here,” Risse said.
Further ওrain on Monday morning has meant a slow ⛦start to day two of the Shakedown.
Coach Kallio
Whil🐓e former MotoGP podium fin✅isher Folger is now helping with RC16 development work alongside Dani Pedrosa, Mika Kallio - KTM’s main test rider since the project began - is moving into more of a coaching role.
“We have the three test riders here. We will decide who we use, and when. It depen🌊ds 💫a bit on the situation,” Risse said. “But also Mika now, a big part of his role is more to help the riders by being out watching them [from the side of] the track.
“But for this, it’s also really helpful that he’s still keeping some riding experience of co🉐urse. You can put yourself much better into the head of a rider if you’ve been on this beast.”
“We have started this last season,” Risse added of Kallio’s coaching work. “And we saw that it was really useful. Okay, now we have different [race] riders, but I think it’s goi🤡ng to be very good.”
The Finn is🍷 expected to attend a substantial number of this year’s ไ21-rounds.
As well as the KTM test riders, GASGAS Tech3 rookie Augusto Fernandez is also eligible for the ꧋Shakedown test while Brad Binder, Pol Espargaro and Jack Miller will complete their first laps of the year at the Official test from February 10-12.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury 🐎issues.
