Mika Kallio did what was necessary to show his employer KTM that he had his place on the MotoGP starting grid. The 34-year-old Finn wants a starting position next year in the category and he says he was not far from putting the brakes on paying driver Xavier Simeon at Avintia. Stable which ultimately chose the well-filled suitcase. But at KTM, the weak link is Bradley Smith. Pushed again in Aragon by the Viking, the Englishman held on despite everything on the RC16 handlebars. And it’s Kallio who says it.
Mika Kallio found a second youth at KTM. Formerly on the Grand Prix starting grid, he was a protagonist in MotoGP until 2010 with Pramac Ducati then he shone in Moto2 with Marc VDS Racing. He was even world vice-champion in 2014. Since then, he has joined the exclusive club of test drivers able to challenge the incumbents. Which is very useful for the builder. So, Ducati has its Pirro. And KTM therefore has its Kallio.
Mika has been invited to Germany, Austria and Aragon. If the first shot ended at the gate of the points, Austria finished with a top 10, narrowly missing again in Aragon. But in Spain, he placed fifth during FP3, was the only KTM rider directly qualified in Q.2 finishing twelfth. A result which could have been better without a fall. During the race, he did not lower his flag in front Pol Espargaro than in the last five rounds. Bradley Smith, each time, was rolled.
And now ? Well, it looks like there won't be anything more..." Do another Grand Prix this season? You have to ask the big bosses that. But for the moment, we haven't discussed anything at all. Initially, I was only going to do Germany and Austria. We then said to ourselves that we could do one more meeting and we did it. I think he was the last ».
« Fortunately, next year I will do more » added immediately Rock who insists: “ Last year already and again this year I said several times that I wanted to be a racing driver again. It's my aim ».
The atmosphere at KTM therefore risks becoming a little tense and the cordial understanding between the three Mattighofen pilots in unison to develop the RC16 may become fragile. In any case, for Rock, there are no more vacancies in MotoGP. But there are also KTMs in Moto2…
