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Kallio and
Aoyama luckless in Estoril |
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16.09.2007 |
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Kallio and Aoyama luckless in Estoril |
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Red Bull KTM factory riders Mika Kallio and
Hiroshi Aoyama went to Portugal for the 250 cc
Grand Prix on the Estoril circuit will high
hopes but saw their podium hopes dashed after
both experienced technical problems.
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Kallio, who started on the front row of the grid held
third position on the opening four laps of the race and
looked set for a promising place. But he was sidelined
when his carburettor overflowed going into the fifth
lap. Team-mate Aoyama charged through a fiercely
fighting second group of riders and from fourth position
had World Champion Jorge Lorenzo in sight when he was
forced to retire with four laps to go.
Kallio said he got away well and was feeling confident
when he noticed the fuel level dropping and the bike
becoming lighter. Then in the fourth lap he opened the
throttle and the engine stalled. "I first thought it was
some electrical problem, but now we learned there was a
problem with the carburettor," he said. Kallio said the
problem had now been resolved and the team would be able
to use a similar set-up for the next race in Motegi,
Japan. "The track has quite slow corners there, not
unlike here," he concluded.
Aoyama said he had noticed that the engine performance
on Sunday had not been as good as in Saturday's
training. The situation got worse as the race progressed
and just as he thought he has a chance of catching the
lead group, the bike stopped and his race was over. "It
was a disappointing day for us with Mika also stopping,
but in one week we have another race, and I think we can
make up for today's bad luck with a good result there.
Motegi is a very important race for me, because there
will be many friends and supporters. I am convinced we
can fix this problem, and we can be strong!" the
Japanese rider said confidently.
Technical Director Harald Bartol said the problem for
Kallio was the result of some dirt in the fuel tank and
the team was analysing how debris had by-passed the fuel
filter. He said the team would conduct a full
investigation of Aoyama's engine to get to the root of
the problem.
Results
1. Alvaro Bautista, Spain, Aprilia
2. Andrea Dovioso, Italy, Honda
3. Jorge Lorenzo, Spain, Aprilia
4. Thomas Luthi, Switzerland, Aprilia
5. Hector Barbera, Spain, Aprilia
Mika Kallio, Finland, KTM DNF
Hiroshi Aoyama, Japan, DNF
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Kallio starts well in Estoril |
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Aoyama still confident ahead of home race in
Japan |
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16.09.2007 |
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Red Bull KTM 125 cc riders slowed by set-up
problems in Estoril |
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Red Bull KTM's three-rider line-up in the 125
cc class were dogged by persistent set-up
problems in Estoril Portugal with Tomoyoshi
Koyama emerging as the most successful in
Sunday's race in a modest seventh place.
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The diminutive young Japanese rider said it had not been
an easy weekend with continual problems going into the
final turn in all sessions. "We made some set-up changes
in the warm-up this morning, which improved things a
little bit, but in the race, I still had chattering. In
other corners, passing was no problem, but the final
corner really hurt us because it is followed by a long
straight, and when you don't get enough drive out of
this corner, you inevitably drop back."
Koyama remained philosophical, saying considering the
problem, his seventh place was still a good result. "Now
I am looking forward to my home race in Motegi - I will
fight tooth and nail for a victory there!"
Swiss teenager Randy Krummenacher also battled with
chassis chattering and decided to avoid unnecessary
risks on his way to tenth position. "I had chattering on
the rear that then was transferred to the front, and I
just couldn't push any harder than I did," Krummenacher
said after the race. "Tenth place isn't a dream result,
but I got another six points, and I am confident that we
will be able to do much better in Japan!"
American dirt track ace Steve Bonsey ran into
carburation problems and decided to pull in after he
felt the riding situation was becoming too tricky.
Results
1. Hector Faubel, Spain, Aprilia
2. Gabor Talmacsi, Hungary, Aprilia
3. Pol Espargaro, Spain, Aprilia
4. Simone Corsi, Italy, Aprilia
5. Joan Olive, Spain, Aprilia
7. Tomoyoshi Koyama, Japan, KTM
10. Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland, KTM
Steve Bonsey DNF
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Koyama seventh in Estoril |
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krummenacher in consultation |
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Bonsey in early stages of Estoril race
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15.09.2007 |
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Johann Zarco wins at Estoril; Red Bull Rookie
World Champion |
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French rider Johann Zarco rode to glory and a
world championship title on Saturday when the
16-year old won the seventh of eight races to
scoop the Red Bull Rookies Cup championship on
the MotoGP circuit in Estoril Portugal. |
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Zarco rode a magnificent race from pole position to
charge through the chequered flag almost two seconds in
front of second placed American Cameron Beaubier.
Britain's Matthew Hoyle was third.
After having ridden consistently well in the seven races
so far, Zarco can now take it easy in the final race at
Jerez at the beginning of November. With 134 points to
his credit, he already has the title in the bag.
"I am absolutely thrilled to win the first Red Bull
MotoGP Rookies Cup and it was a great race," the
talented your rider said after the race. He said he had
tried to get away from the pack in the early part of the
14-lap race but he did not really secure the advantage
until the final two laps.
Zarco has been on the podium five times and Saturday was
his third victory. He also won in Italy and in the Czech
Republic in this series that gives talented young
teenagers the unique chance of competing in a season of
races parallel with a selection of races in the Moto GP
calendar. All riders compete on identical KTM machines
especially developed for the series.
Results
1. Johann Zarco, France, KTM
2. Cameron Beaubier, USA, KTM
3. Matthew Hoyle, Britain, KTM
4. Cyril Carrilllo, France, KTM
5. Dean Brown, Britain, KTM
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Zarco, a talented teenager to watch in the
future |
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Zarko on his way to a championship title |
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16.09.2007 |
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Confidence building second place for Hiemer
in Busca |
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Bernd Hiemer came home second in the
penultimate Supermoto 1 Grand Prix in Busca,
Italy on Sunday, a result that boosted his
confidence on a day where he said he felt less
than 100%. |
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The KTM S1 Factory rider said he had experienced no
problems with his KTM machine but had felt a little out
of sorts on race day. "Training on Saturday was not
perfect and then I did not sleep very well. I can't
quite put my finger on what was wrong but I just didn't
feel that well on Sunday, even though my second place
was a good confidence booster."
Hiemer said he did not get a good start in the first
moto and although he performed quite well on the asphalt
there were few overtaking opportunities and he had to
settle for fourth place. He launched his attack in the
second moto with a more confident and aggressive start
and was able to finish third, scoring enough aggregate
points for second overall on the day.
"I felt there were places where I could have been faster
today so I will have to go away and analyze the data
very carefully before the final race in Athens," the
German racer said.
With one GP left on the calendar, Hiemer is lying in
fifth place in the championship standings.
Results
1. Adrien Chareyre, France, Husqvarna
2. Bernd Hiemer, Germany, KTM
3. Jerome Giraudo, France, Aprilia
4. Thierry van den Bosch, France, Aprilia
5. Ivan Lazzarini, Italy, Yamaha
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Second overall a confidence booster for KTM's
"Asphalt Surfer" |
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16.09.2007 |
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Pignotti fourth in penultimate S2 GP |
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Attilio Pignotti came in fourth overall in
the S2 Grand Prix Alpi Del Mare in Busca on
Sunday to trail the championship leader by just
five points going into the final races in
Athens. |
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Pignotti finished fourth in the first moto and fifth in
the second for overall fourth after letting the pressure
of retaining the championship leadership made him
unsettled in Sunday's races. After leading the
standings, the KTM Factory rider now has to relinquish
the leadership to Belgian Gerald Delepine by a narrow
margin.
After performing consistently well in the season and
scoring nine podium finishes, the Italian will now have
to steel his nerves going into the final two races. If
he is to take home the S2 world championship title, he
needs to deliver a make or break result to try to secure
as many points as possible in the Greek capital.
Results
1. Christian Iddon, Britain, Aprilia
2. Davide Gozzini, Italy, TM
3. Gerald Delepine, Belgium, Husqvarna
4. Attilio Pignotti, italy, KTM
5. Nestor Jorge, Spain, Aprilia
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Pignotti trails world Championship leadership by
five points going into final GP |
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