Mika Kallio is a special guest at KTM. But, excited by the opportunity, the Finn perhaps did much better than expected during this Grand Prix in Aragon. Put in direct competition with Bradley Smith for a starting place in 2018 on the RC16, he completely crushed the official duo this year this Saturday. Enough to wonder, at KTM, no longer about its only Englishman, but squarely about its factory duo. The matter is no longer between Kallio and Smith, settled by the result of this Saturday. But also between Kallio and Pol Espargaró. The Sunday race promises to be interesting at KTM…
His fifth time during FP3 caused a sensation. A clap of thunder at KTM, which crumbled a Bradley Smith twenty second and shaken one Pol Espargaro twelfth. So what would the Finn have in store for us for qualifying? We won't really know. As Marc Marquez, he crashed in the final moments and will have to settle for twelfth place. Two places better than Pol Espargaro. As for Bradley Smith, here he is twenty-third…
For its first year at this level, the RC16 shows all the good work accomplished on its behalf. The tests carried out on this Aragon track also helped. And it’s not over since 2018 parts are already being tested: “ this day was definitely positive » announces the one for whom it will be more and more complicated not to give him a chance all year round, even at 34 years old. “ Even if it didn't end well because of a fall for which I was solely responsible ».
« It's a shame because I felt like I still had a little left in my grip. But I now have the right feeling with the bike on this track, and I've been missing that for a while. In addition, we were able to work and progress the new pieces that we brought. We can push the limits a little further. I know where they are and I hope to demonstrate it in the race. A lot can happen on Sunday. I'll just have to make a good start and give gas ».
Pol Espargaro Would he also have something to worry about?
#AragonGP MotoGP J.2: Chronos
| 1 | 25 | Maverick VIÑALES | Yamaha | 1'47.635 | ||
| 2 | 99 | Jorge Lorenzo | Ducati | 1'47.735 | 0.100 | 0.100 |
| 3 | 46 | Valentino ROSSI | Yamaha | 1'47.815 | 0.180 | 0.080 |
| 4 | 35 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda | 1'47.830 | 0.195 | 0.015 |
| 5 | 93 | Marc Márquez | Honda | 1'47.963 | 0.328 | 0.133 |
| 6 | 26 | Dani PEDROSA | Honda | 1'48.107 | 0.472 | 0.144 |
| 7 | 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | 1'48.137 | 0.502 | 0.030 |
| 8 | 41 | Aleix Espargaro | Aprilia | 1'48.159 | 0.524 | 0.022 |
| 9 | 19 | Alvaro BAUTISTA | Ducati | 1'48.187 | 0.552 | 0.028 |
| 10 | 29 | Andrea Iannone | Suzuki | 1'48.289 | 0.654 | 0.102 |
| 11 | 5 | johann zarco | Yamaha | 1'48.402 | 0.767 | 0.113 |
| 12 | 36 | Mika Kallio | KTM | 1'48.471 | 0.836 | 0.069 |
| Q1 Results: | ||||||
| Q2 | 99 | Jorge Lorenzo | Ducati | 1'48.179 | ||
| Q2 | 5 | johann zarco | Yamaha | 1'48.298 | 0.119 | 0.119 |
| 13 | 43 | Jack Miller | Honda | 1'48.307 | 0.128 | 0.009 |
| 14 | 44 | Pol Espargaró | KTM | 1'48.387 | 0.208 | 0.080 |
| 15 | 17 | Karel ABRAHAM | Ducati | 1'48.467 | 0.288 | 0.080 |
| 16 | 9 | Danilo PETRUCCI | Ducati | 1'48.908 | 0.729 | 0.441 |
| 17 | 76 | Loris BAZ | Ducati | 1'48.911 | 0.732 | 0.003 |
| 18 | 94 | Jonas Folger | Yamaha | 1'49.034 | 0.855 | 0.123 |
| 19 | 8 | Hector BARBERA | Ducati | 1'49.052 | 0.873 | 0.018 |
| 20 | 42 | Alex Rins | Suzuki | 1'49.233 | 1.054 | 0.181 |
| 21 | 53 | Tito RABAT | Honda | 1'49.258 | 1.079 | 0.025 |
| 22 | 45 | Scott REDDING | Ducati | 1'49.288 | 1.109 | 0.030 |
| 23 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | KTM | 1'49.578 | 1.399 | 0.290 |
| 24 | 22 | Sam LOWES | Aprilia | 1'50.769 | 2.590 | 1.191 |
