KTM continues its work on an RC16 promised to be its strong arm in MotoGP in a 2017 season which will mark its return to the elite. Tests that the future drivers of the Austrian brand Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaró are watching with interest and which are led by Mika Kallio. The Finn is occasionally supported by a colleague. For these tests carried out at Mugello, it was Tom Lüthi who played the role of reinforcement. A not neutral experience for the Swiss.
And three! Mugello marked the third outing in four weeks for the KTM MotoGP project on a track with a different character.
Ten days after the visit to the Jerez turnstile, These are the wide open spaces of Mugello which have been offered to the RC16. Enough to collect a lot of data that the technician Sebastian Risse will have to dissect.
The orange troops are not idle with a Mika Kallio who enjoys the experience. An enthusiasm shared by Tom Luthi who discovered what a MotoGP was. An experience that he will repeat in mid-July, what's more with part of the field which will evolve on the new Red Bull Ring route.
Information which will also allow him to get ahead of the circuit dedicated to the first Austrian Grand Prix of this century before the official meeting.
Still, this ride in RC16 almost made him forget his Moto2 Kalex: " after my 125cc title, I was able to do a few laps with a MotoGP in 2005 on half of a track. For me, it was the first time that I did real tests on such a motorcycle. Despite the power you immediately feel riding such a machine, I found the RC16 incredibly easy to ride from the first few laps ».
« With its long straight and its hills, Mugello was probably not the ideal circuit to gain confidence with a MotoGP, but I was quickly able to get into Mika's wake and I learned a lot. My priority remains Moto2, but after these two days, I will be more comfortable for the next tests which will take place with the best of the premier category ».
The addiction to MotoGP therefore seems immediate. After these tests in mid-July, KTM will officially present its program at its national Grand Prix in August.
