After winning his sixth MXGP World Champion title, Sicilian Antonio Cairoli was invited by his employer KTM to test the MotoGP machine. On the automotive side, Dietrich Mateschitz offered him a Red Bull Formula 1 steering wheel, offering to bring him with him to test one of his cars soon.
After a difficult 2015 season due to a broken arm, then a complicated 2016 with a problem with a faulty nerve connection between the neck and the arm, Cairoli with a total of 9 world titles and 83 victories is now getting closer to the Stefan Everts records with 10 titles and 101 victories.
A decade ago, Cairoli had tasted Yamaha's M1 during a previous test, after having raced cross-country for the Japanese brand.
“I am grateful to KTM for this fantastic opportunity they have given me and I would especially like to thank the people on the test team who did a great job,” said Cairoli, aided by test pilot Mika Kallio.
“Trying out a MotoGP machine is always extremely exciting and the adrenaline rush was huge!
“I was surprised to see how much Grand Prix motorcycling has evolved over the past 10 years and how much it has been improved. The brakes and acceleration are impressive and it's hard to find the limit on such a perfect bike.
“Riding over 300 km/h is really exciting, but it's very different from motocross because in MotoGP the lines are well established and don't really change during a race. In any case, I hope to have another opportunity to ride this fantastic bike soon. »
Photo credit: Taglioni S. For KTM
Video © KTM
