Johann Zarco will not take part in the Aragón Grand Prix for the Austrian manufacturer after their relationship became increasingly poor. Last Sunday in Misano, after the race Johann left directly without saying goodbye to anyone, not even his mechanics, but that was probably not the straw that broke the camel's back for KTM. It would rather be the desire to develop the RC16 with new parts not available to the departing Frenchman, and it will be Mike Kallio who will replace him this weekend in Spain.
According to KTM’s version, “ Johann and KTM had decided to end their association at the end of 2019, but ongoing developments have meant realigning priorities. The Frenchman will be exempt from his MotoGP obligations but will remain under contract with KTM until the end of the season. »
“KTM is in a crucial phase of the MotoGP project with a particular focus on the new generation of the RC16. Thanks to the long experience and the role of tester of Rock, the Finn will play a major role in obtaining valuable data in race conditions alongsideEspargaró, who achieved seven top-ten results in 2019 and qualified second on the grid at the last Grand Prix in San Marino. »
“Kallio – who rode the KTM for its MotoGP debut at Valencia in 2016 and has contributed heavily since the RC16's early testing phases – has already competed in seven races as a wildcard between 2016 and 2018. With two placings in top ten finishes in MotoGP and a total of 16 GP wins and 49 podiums in the lower categories, Kallio is looking forward to adding momentum to KTM's efforts in the premier class for the remainder of 2019 and ahead of the 16 RC2020 .”
According to Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Director : “ We have to make decisions to ensure we are using our resources in the best possible way and we are currently in a positive direction with our MotoGP structure. »
“We firmly believe that Mika can help us in this step thanks to his knowledge and experience. It is essential that we verify the results of our tests in real racing conditions to start our 2020 season in the best conditions. »
“Mika has proven himself on the RC16 and we are happy to have him join the team again as a driver. There is no doubt that we will focus on a new setup with the bike while fighting for points in the final races of the championship. »
“At the same time, we want to express our gratitude to Johann for his efforts since he joined our ambitious project in November last year. We must now think about the future and take this step accordingly. KTM will continue to support him until our contract expires at the end of 2019 and we wish him well for his future. »
Photos © Sebas Romero for KTM
