TheYellowCommunity.com - Valentino Rossi - Community
Go Back   TheYellowCommunity.com - Valentino Rossi - Community > ENGLISH ROOM > Other Riders
Reload this Page Newcomers worth keeping an eye on!!
Other Riders Here you can discuss everything about other Riders.

Notices
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
(#11 (permalink))
Old
lavinia80's Avatar
lavinia80 is Offline
Junior Second Lieutenant
 
Send a message via MSN to lavinia80 Send a message via Yahoo to lavinia80
Default 23.10.2008, 09:27

Mika Kallio and KTM: A farewell between friendsAfter six years of successful partnership that yielded 12 race victories and 33 podium finishes, KTM rider Mika Kallio and his team will say good-bye at the end of this racing season. But even though the 25-year-old Finn is joining another manufacturer as he moves to the MotoGP class, it is a farewell between good friends.

"Mika has been under our wings from the beginnings of his Grand Prix career. We've moved up through the ranks as a team and celebrated our first victories together. We fought for the world titles in both the 125 cc and 250 cc class and it was a great and exciting time," says KTM CEO Stefan Pierer. "Mika is an outstanding talent in this sport and we always said that we would support him all the way, not only with our bikes but also once he found a good opportunity to move to the MotoGP category. The time has now come. It will be exciting to watch him racing in the future and we all wish him the best of luck."

Kallio now to face the ultimate challenge
Competing in the highest category of motorcycle racing is every rider's dream but Kallio did not take his decision lightly. "The MotoGP class is the ultimate challenge, and I took this chance after talking to my team and to KTM, and after carefully considering all options. We've won many races, we've been serious title contenders in both the 125 and the 250 class and there is not much more I would be able to prove if I hung in for another year," says Kallio. "I will always remember the great times we had together and our early success when we surprised the paddock and the fans in both categories."

Quick success
Success came quickly as Mika joined the official KTM 125 team in the second half of the 2003 season in Brno. Kallio, a three-times winner of the Finnish 125 cc championship, rode on after a practice crash and conquered fourth place in his first ever race for the Austrian manufacturer despite a badly damaged left little finger. He celebrated second place and his first podium finish for KTM just four races later in Malaysia.

The man to beat in 2005 and 2006
Kallio was definitely the man to beat in the 125 class in the 2005 and 2006 seasons. He scored a total of seven victories and 21 podium finishes in this period, finishing both years as runner-up in the championship. Kallio was naturally also instrumental in helping KTM seal the Manufacturer's Title in the 125 cc class. "It's a bit sad that we couldn't win the title, but to be in second place twice is also a very good result. The title fights were very close, especially in 2005. I have very good memories of that time, especially from my first victory in Portugal when I won on the last straight by just eight thousandths of a second."

Perfect partnership of man and machine
When Kallio moved to the 250 class in 2007, the perfect partnership of man and machine seamlessly continued. "Of course I had to learn a lot and we were not fully competitive straight away. But I knew what to expect right from the first test in Valencia at the end of the 2006 season. Even though my new bike was so much stronger with double the capacity and horsepower, it still felt like a KTM and it was still my bike!"

Smooth transition
Harald Bartol, Team Director and constructor of the bikes, always insisted that a good 125 cc rider wouldn't need much time to adjust to a 250. Kallio was proof of that. It only took him half the season, until the German Grand Prix, to score his first podium finish, and the highlight of the year was his first 250 cc victory in Japan, his third successive victory on the demanding Twin Ring Motegi track. "We had won there in 2005 and 2006 with the 125 bike, and to return in my 250 rookie year and win again was just awesome," says Kallio.

Attacking from the front
Kallio took his second 250 cc victory at the last race of the season in Valencia and started into the 2008 season with a bang. He scored four podium finishes and two race wins in the first four races of the season and led the title fight until mid-season. It was a remarkable campaign on a bike that was merely three years old against a brand with a development history that spans more than two decades.

Enduring Friendship
It's also remarkable how Kallio faced all the obstacles in his way with calm confidence. "The magic behind our success is mutual trust. My team knows that I give 100 per cent all the time, and I know the same about my team. I know that I can rely on the team's decisions whenever I go out on the track. And even if something goes wrong on a particular race track, I know that Harald will be back in his workshop and work without rest until he finds the solution to the problem. This sort of trust is one of the reasons why I continued with KTM year after year," says Kallio. "My relationship with Harald and the other engineers in the team is much more than just technical. We are friends - and we will also remain friends in the future!"

The entire KTM Family thanks Mika Kallio for his suburb contribution to Orange road racing over the past seasons and joins in wishing him continued racing success in MotoGP
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Standard Sponsored Links

(#12 (permalink))
Old
Maree's Avatar
Maree is Offline
Captain
 
Default 23.10.2008, 13:20

Its sad when a long association ends like this although its a happy break it would still be very difficult wouldn't it??

Friends today, racing against each other tomorrow!! But I guess they may be able to divide the two, friendship and racing...

Note to self...Ask simone about this !!


Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
(#13 (permalink))
Old
STEVE45's Avatar
STEVE45 is Offline
Senior Private
 
Default British Minimoto Champion 2008 - 03.11.2008, 00:07

Hi all, This is my son Scott, he's 13 and just won the British Minimoto Championship , his hero is rossi and he wants to be a pro racer, so look out out for him. thanks STEVE 45
[/IMG]
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
(#14 (permalink))
Old
Angela O's Avatar
Angela O is Offline
Super-Moderator
 
Blog Entries: 1
Default 03.11.2008, 00:28

I'm sure some of the older users on here will remember Scott#22....this is the very same kid!
I'm so pleased he's managed to fulfill his dream of becoming the British minimoto champion for 2008.....he worked bloody hard and never gave up to get this far & I'm really proud as punch he's done it!!!
Remember this is the rout that Rossi took to get where he is now....who knows maybe Scott will follow in his footsteps....I for one will be keeping a close eye on his in the future....hope to see you on the top step of the podium at Donington in a few years time Scott......the same one that Scott Reading was standing on this year hopefully!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS SCOTT#22 <now> SCOTT#1 !!!


Angela O
from Liverpool-England
XXXXxxxxxx
(first registered 30/9/2002)
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
(#15 (permalink))
Old
krispradez's Avatar
krispradez is Offline
Senior Corporal
 
Default 03.11.2008, 04:15

the new jap rider has no emotion and looks like an idiot


Maybe it's not where an athelete's from
that makes us root for them
Maybe it's not the flag on their back
or the anthem that we hear when they win
that makes us cheer

Maybe it's that they are human
and we are human
and when they succeed, we succeed


"ad astra per aspera"

Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
(#16 (permalink))
Old
STEVE45's Avatar
STEVE45 is Offline
Senior Private
 
Default 03.11.2008, 12:52

Quote:
Originally Posted by Angela O View Post
I'm sure some of the older users on here will remember Scott#22....this is the very same kid!
I'm so pleased he's managed to fulfill his dream of becoming the British minimoto champion for 2008.....he worked bloody hard and never gave up to get this far & I'm really proud as punch he's done it!!!
Remember this is the rout that Rossi took to get where he is now....who knows maybe Scott will follow in his footsteps....I for one will be keeping a close eye on his in the future....hope to see you on the top step of the podium at Donington in a few years time Scott......the same one that Scott Reading was standing on this year hopefully!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS SCOTT#22 <now> SCOTT#1 !!!
Big Thanks Angela
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!
Reply With Quote
 
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
MotoGP newcomers on track at Valencia - News motogp.com motogp.com - News 0 09.11.2007 11:50



vBulletin® Copyright ©2000-2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.2.0
Template-Modifikationen durch TMS
vBulletin Skin developed by: vBStyles.com
Copyright ©2007-2008, TheYellowCommunity.com


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189