Arma Athletes On Top!

May 20, 2013 By

It has been an insane weekend for the Arma team around the world! Here is a recap of all the action that went down at X-Games, Moto GP, Hangtown MX, MXGP, and the pro wakeboard tour!

-Gary Young won his first gold medal in BMX Park at X-Games. Gary has been with Arma from the begining and we couldn’t be more stoked for him!

-Stevie McCann took 5th in BMX Big Air and 6th in BMX Vert at X-Games.

-Matt Buyten took a bronze medal in X-Games step-up.

-Scott Redding and Mika Kallio finished 1 and 2 at Le Mans Moto GP2. Great weekend for the Marc VDS team.

-Weston Peick overcame a few unfortunate problems with his bike and still finished 10th overall at Hangtown. Great finish for a privateer!

-Phil Soven won the first stop of the Pro Wakeboard Tour in Georgia.

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Big Weekend for Marc VDS in Texas!

April 21, 2013 By

Austin, Texas – 21 April 2013: The Marc VDS Racing Team had double reason to celebrate at the end of the inaugural Grand Prix of the Americas today, with Mika Kallio storming to a brilliant third place and Scott Redding seizing the Moto2 World Championship points lead with a hard earned fifth.

A lightning start from ninth on the grid and a super aggressive first two laps immediately thrust Kallio into podium contention where he remained to the chequered flag after a pulsating fight with Dominique Aegerter and Esteve Rabat.

Using all his experience to try and protect second position at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), he was fortunate not to crash on the final lap when Aegerter clipped the back of his Kalex machine. Kallio expertly kept control of his bike and he missed out on securing second place by just 0.050s.

His third Moto2 podium though moved him into a three-way tie for second position in the overall World Championship rankings.

Starting from pole position for the first time in his 86-race World Championship career, Redding went straight into full attack mode to try and put clear air between him and the pursuing pack.

But rapidly deteriorating front and rear grip, which Redding had expressed concerns about in advance of the 19-lap clash, meant he was unable to sustain his blistering early pace.

Rather than take unnecessary risks to force his way back into the podium hunt, Redding rode the remainder of the race with precious World Championship points in mind after Pol Espargaro’s unfortunate early crash.

The 11-points secured for a battling fifth position gives Redding a four-point cushion at the top of the World Championship standings heading to the start of the European phase of the 2013 World Championship in Jerez next month.

Mika Kallio #36: 3rd
“I am really happy to be on the podium because it backs up a solid top five in the first race and now I am in a very good position in the championship. It was a very difficult race because I knew Aegerter and Rabat would be coming to attack on the last lap and I knew we’d have a moment. I got clipped from behind but fortunately I stayed on the bike to get a podium. I’m a little disappointed because a small mistake at the last corner cost me second, but I’m still very satisfied. I didn’t have the best top speed or the best front grip, but I could see that I could fight for the podium from the beginning. It has been a great weekend for the Marc VDS Racing Team and this result gives us a lot of confidence heading to Jerez.”

Scott Redding #45: 5th
“I’m obviously disappointed not to be on the podium after starting from pole position but I salvaged fifth position out of a difficult race and now I am leading the championship and that’s a great feeling. Before the race I knew we’d struggle with the tyres going off and that’s exactly what happened. I went out there to win but after six laps I knew it was impossible. I guessed that Espargaro and Nakagami were out so I just used my brain and didn’t push too hard to risk a crash that would have been very costly. It was a decent fifth and now I am leading the championship I need to hold it together for the rest of the year after a great start to the season.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“We certainly won’t be forgetting our first trip to COTA in a hurry. Scott scored an amazing debut pole position and today he leaves leading the World Championship after a very mature ride. And Mika got a podium, which was a great way to end the weekend. Mika got a great start and was very aggressive in the first two laps to give himself a great chance of the podium. He then rode really fast while trying to conserve his tyres to stay in the podium places right to the end. He’s now finished in the top five in both races and that is great for his confidence. After Scott’s pole position we’d hoped he’d at least be on the podium. His strategy was to make a break and manage the gap at the front, but we knew he’d have some issues with tyre wear. He still did a brilliant job and he used his head to score some really important points. I’m really happy for the Marc VDS Racing Team and in particular Marc, who has given incredible support to this project. We are leading the World Championship for the first time and hopefully we can remain there.”

More information and high resolution images are available on the Marc VDS Racing Team website at www.marcvds.com.

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Marc VDS heads to Texas!

April 15, 2013 By

Gosselies, Belgium – 15 April 2013: The Marc VDS Racing Team head across the Atlantic this week, for the second round of the FIM Moto2 World Championship at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

It’s the first time the Circuit of Americas has featured on the Moto2 calendar, but learning the track is not a concern for Scott Redding, who is keen to continue the run of form that saw him finish on the podium in the opening round of the season in Qatar just over one week ago.

Mika Kallio left Qatar disappointed with fifth place in Qatar, as the 30-year-old Finn was convinced a podium finish was on the cards after qualifying on the front row of the grid. Kallio lost ground in the early stages of the race as a result of some over enthusiastic overtaking moves by others, a situation he is keen to avoid this weekend in Texas

Circuit of the Americas was completed in 2012 and is the first purpose built Grand Prix track in the United States. The track, which features a change in elevation of almost 41 metres and a unique incline at the end of the front straight, was designed by Hermann Tilke with input from the 1993 500GP World Champion, Kevin Schwantz.

At 5.513km in length the circuit comprises 11 left and nine right corners, many of which mirror famous sections of iconic racetracks from around the world.

Scott Redding #45:
“Second in Qatar was a good start to the season, but we need to carry that momentum into the next outing in Texas. It’s a new track for everyone, which will be interesting, but I’m sure it won’t take any of us long to get up to speed. I’ve never had a problem learning new tracks and I’m looking forward to seeing what the Circuit of the Americas has to offer. If we approach this race in the same way as we did the last then I think there’s every chance we can repeat the success of Qatar in America. That’s the goal, anyway.”

Mika Kallio #36:
“It was good to get a top five finish in the first race of the season in Qatar, despite some issues with the engine. I didn’t seem to have the acceleration or top speed of the people I was racing against. Other than that the bike worked well in Qatar and, although Circuit of the Americas is a brand new track for us, I’m pretty confident we won’t have to make any big changes to get the bike working equally well there. New circuits have always been quite good for me in the past, so I hope Circuit of the Americas will be the same. It will still take some learning, but I think we’ll be pretty much up to speed on the first day if we can get plenty of laps done in the first two practice sessions.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“We got the season off to a flying start in Qatar, with Scott on the podium and Mika finishing top five, but now we need to build on that in Texas with two more strong results. Both riders showed last weekend that they are capable of qualifying and racing at the front and, although Circuit of the Americas is a track at which we have no previous experience, I can see no reason why Scott and Mika shouldn’t do the same again this weekend. Two more good results in Texas would put us in a strong position when we return to Europe at the end of the month for the Jerez race.”

More information and high resolution images are available on the Marc VDS Racing Team website at www.marcvds.com.

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Redding Takes 2nd in Qatar!

April 7, 2013 By

Doha, Qatar – 7 April 2013: The Marc VDS Racing team got their 2013 World Championship campaign off to a flying start, with Scott Redding riding a superlative race to second place and Mika Kallio bringing his Kalex Moto2 machine home in fifth position.

Once early race leader Takaaki Nakagami had been despatched, Redding and Pol Espargaro put on a racing master class, going wheel to wheel on the Losail International Circuit until the final lap, when Espargaro held on to take the win.

Kallio was forced wide by another rider in the opening laps and was pushed back to tenth as a result. The 30-year-old Finn fought his way back through the field, only to lose the slipstreaming battle for fourth place to Dominique Aegerter at the finish line.

Redding is the heaviest rider on the Moto2 grid, while Kallio is the lightest. Proof, if any was needed, that the combined minimum weight limit introduced for this season has levelled the playing field for everyone.

Scott Redding #45: 2nd Position
“I’m happy to get the season started with a podium here in Qatar. I lost the clutch on the sighting lap, which is a problem we had in practice and qualifying. The guys managed to fix it on the grid, but it wasn’t right for the first few laps and the bike was really aggressive on corner entry. In the end I just feathered the clutch going into the turns until it sorted itself out. I wasn’t expecting to lead here, so I didn’t really have a plan once I got to the front, other than to keep a good rhythm and maintain my pace. It was a good battle with Pol; I thought I had him on the last lap, but he’s a tough rider and I couldn’t quite make it through. Next time I know to try that little bit harder to push him into a mistake. Thanks to the team for their hard work, and thanks also to Marc van der Straten for his support.”

Mika Kallio #36: 5th Position
“The chance of a podium for me was gone in the first few laps, unfortunately. I got pushed wide in one turn and, in Moto2, it’s not just one rider than goes up your inside when that happens. After that it took a while for me to find my rhythm and start moving back up through the field. It was hard to overtake, because our engine doesn’t seem to have the push we need out of the turns, but I eventually fought my way through to fourth, only to be pushed wide in the final turn by Aegerter. I tried to slipstream him to the line, but I just didn’t have the power from the engine to do it. It could have been better today, but fifth will do for the first race.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“What a race, and what a start to the season for the team. Scott rode a superb race, from lap one until the end. He closed down the early leader and then fought out a fantastic battle with Pol Espargaro, only to lose out on the final lap. It was a real spectacle, and one I hope we’ll see time and again this season. Mika isn’t too happy with fifth, because he was also looking for a podium here, but he should be pleased with such a good result. He lost out in the early stages, but rode a good second half of the race to finally finish inside the top five. So, a great job by everyone in the team, a fantastic start for both riders and now we just need to carry this momentum into the remaining rounds, starting in Texas in two weeks time.”

More information and high resolution images are available on the Marc VDS Racing Team website at www.marcvds.com.

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Redding and Kallio Start the Season!

April 4, 2013 By

Gosselies, Belgium – 2 April 2013: The Marc VDS Racing Team’s Mika Kallio and Scott Redding head to the Middle East looking for a strong start to the season, as the 2013 Moto2 World Championship gets underway this weekend at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

Redding heads into the new season as one of the favourites for this year’s championship title, after successful preseason tests at Valencia and Jerez. This will be Redding’s fourth season with the Marc VDS Racing Team, and his fourth in the Moto2 World Championship, and the 20-year-old Briton is determined to get it underway with a strong finish in the opening race.

For Kallio preseason testing has been all about working with this new chief mechanic, Naoya Kaneko, to find a good base setting for his Kalex Moto2 machine. The 30-year-old Finn struggled with chatter at some tracks last year, but heads into the new season with renewed confidence after all but eliminating the problem during the tests in Valencia and Jerez. Like his Marc VDS teammate, Kallio has his eyes set firmly on a top five finish in Qatar.

The Marc VDS Racing Team’s Moto3 rider, Livio Loi, will travel to Qatar to support his teammates but will not race this weekend. The 15-year-old Belgian will make his Grand Prix race debut at the third round of the Moto3 World Championship in Jerez, just eight days after his 16th birthday.

The Commercialbank Grand Prix of Qatar is unique in that it is the only race on the GP calendar to be held at night. The 5.380km / 3.434 mile Losail track is illuminated by 3,600 light fixtures burning a massive 5.4 million watts of power, creating enough light to cover an area equivalent to 70 football pitches.

Scott Redding #45:
“Last year we achieved our aim of top five finishes, but this season I need to step it up and be aiming for the podium in every race, starting this weekend in Qatar. We head for the first race off the back of three very positive preseason tests, with a bike that I feel confident with and a package that we know is competitive. I’m probably better prepared, both physically and mentally, for the start of the season than I’ve ever been before, so I’m really looking forward to the weekend ahead. A podium finish in Qatar would be the perfect start to what promises to be another tough and hard fought season, so that’s what I’m aiming for.”

Mika Kallio #36:
“We’ve worked hard with the bike over the winter to eliminate the front end issues that caused me so many problems last season. It’s meant changing the settings quite significantly, which took me some time to get used to. The good news is that, at Valencia and Jerez, the chatter and vibration from the front was almost non-existent, which is a big step forward. It means I go to Qatar with much more confidence compared to this time last year. Our aim this weekend is clear; I think there are probably eight or nine riders capable of finishing on the podium in Qatar and I need to be up there battling with them for a top three finish at the first race of the season.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“It’s been a long winter but, finally, we’re heading to the first race of the new season in Qatar. For Scott there is a little bit more pressure this season, as he’s been tipped as one of the main contenders for the championship, but he hasn’t let that distract him from his build up to the first race. He knows what he has to do, not just in Qatar but also during the whole season, and I’m confident he will deliver. Mika has made some big changes to the bike over the winter and, despite preseason testing being disrupted by the weather, he goes into the first race with more confidence than we’ve seen from him previously. I think Mika may well turn out to be the dark horse of the championship this season. We’re looking for two good results to kick off the season in Qatar and I expect to see both riders running towards the front of the field this weekend.”

More information and high resolution images are available on the Marc VDS Racing Team website at www.marcvds.com.

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Marc VDS ready to race after successful final test!

March 21, 2013 By

Jerez, Spain – 21 March 2013: The Marc VDS Racing Team are ready to race, after successfully completing the final preseason test of 2013 at Jerez today.

All three of the team’s riders – Scott Redding, Mika Kallio and Livio Loi – were able to work through their planned test schedules, despite rain interrupting proceedings on the first full day of testing.

Redding was happy enough his lap times in both wet and dry conditions to park his Kalex Moto2 machine on Wednesday evening and sit out today’s final track sessions. The 20-year-old Briton ended the test fifth fastest and just 0.7s from the top of the timesheet.

Both Kallio and Loi continued testing into this morning, but the 30-year-old Finn was unable to better his time from the first day and finished 10th on combined times. Loi was also unable to improve his time today, after the wind picked up considerably for the Moto3 session, but finished the test 21st fastest and just one second off a top ten position.

The team will now crate up the bikes and equipment for transport to the first Grand Prix of the 2013 season, which takes place at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar on Sunday 7th April.

Scott Redding #45: 5th – 1’43.372
“For once the weather was kind to us and we got some dry miles done on the bike this week. We’ve got a good direction with the set-up and we haven’t had to test as much here, which allowed me to focus on just riding and building confidence on the bike. The one rainy day here at Jerez was ideal to confirm our wet weather set-up. The fact that I was fastest in the wet also helps to build confidence. We know exactly where we’re at after this test and we know what we need to do at the first race, which is all I’m focussed on right now.”

Mika Kallio #36: 10th – 1’43.774
“The one positive we can take from this test at Jerez is that we managed to confirm that we went the right way with the settings in Albacete. The chatter that we had last year, including here in Jerez, has all but gone, so that’s a big step forward. We were hoping to do more here, but I lost the front without warning at the fast turn 12 yesterday and went down hard. I was lucky to walk away uninjured, but it effectively ended the day for me as the bike was badly damaged. The lost track time meant we didn’t get to try everything we had planned, but we already know how we need to set up the bike for the first race, so it’s not such an issue. I could have done with more time on the bike just to build more confidence, but these things happen in racing and we just have to deal with it.”

Livio Loi #11: 21st – 1’48.568
“Overall I’m pretty happy with the test. We were fast once again in the wet and we made definite improvements in the dry. Of course, I’d like to be a little bit nearer to the top of the timesheet, but racing at this level is very new for me and I need to learn to walk before I can run. I could have gone faster, a 1’47 was definitely possible, but in these conditions the chance of a crash was just too high and the last thing I need is an injury before the season has even started. There is still some work to do on our set-up in the dry, but this will come with more laps on the bike. At the moment I’m relying very much on the team when it comes to settings, but this will change once I gain more experience on the bike. It will be tough to sit out the first two GP races, because all I want to do now is race!”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“Despite the best efforts of the weather this year, we’re ready to race. Both Scott and Livio showed impressive pace in the wet and Scott backed that up with fast and consistent lap times in the dry. We know where we are with him; where we are strong and where we need to improve. Mika has also made solid progress with a very different set-up on the bike than he’s used to. I’m confident that he’d have finished higher up the order if he hadn’t lost time to a crash yesterday. What can I say about Livio; he has already exceeded our expectations in the dry but when the weather turned wet he was straight into the top five on the timesheet. He will miss the first two races because of his age, but he’ll test and race in the national championships at Le Mans and Catalunya instead, so he knows the tracks when he returns later in the season for the Grand Prix.”

More information and high resolution images are available on the Marc VDS Racing Team website at www.marcvds.com.

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Redding and Kallio Wrap up season!

November 16, 2012 By

Albacete, Spain – 15 November 2012: The Marc VDS Racing Team brought their 2012 Moto2 campaign to a close as they today concluded the final test of the season at the Albacete circuit in Spain.

The two-day Albacete test was run in conjunction with engineers from Kalex, with the main focus being the further development of the Kalex Moto2 machine on which Scott Redding and Mika Kallio secured five podiums this season.

The test was also the first opportunity for Livio Loi to test the Kalex-KTM he will ride for the Marc VDS Racing Team in next year’s Moto3 World Championship. The 15-year-old Belgian, whose Moto3 experience has so far been limited to the European and Spanish Championships on a standard Honda, declared himself impressed with the Kalex-KTM after improving his lap times significantly over the two days.

While the Albacete test marks the end of the season for Redding and Kallio, who are both looking forward to the winter break, Loi will contest the final round of the CEV Spanish Championship at Valencia this weekend.

The Marc VDS Racing Team will return to the track for preseason testing in February, starting at Valencia, before moving on to Jerez for the final two IRTA organised tests.

Scott Redding #45:
“We were lucky with the weather here the last two days, it wasn’t perfect but at least we got some dry testing time. We managed to test quite a few things; some worked and some we’ll need to reassess during preseason testing next year, but it’s been a positive two days overall. I’m looking forward to the break now. It’s been a long season, capped off by a race weekend and then three days of testing, so the down time will be good. It will give me time to relax, do something other than race bikes, so I can come back fresh for next season. I say that, but by January I’m usually itching to get back on the bike again and can’t wait for the season to start!”

Mika Kallio #36:
“The test day we had at Valencia was quite positive. As soon as we got back our preferred tyre we were immediately quicker and then we managed to make some set-up changes that saw me go more than a second faster than during the race weekend. It’s been interesting working with my new crew chief, Naoya Kaneko. He has a lot of experience and some good ideas and, already, we’ve found a good way of working together. Here at Albacete we started with the same settings on the bike, but this is a completely different kind of track with a lot of bumps everywhere, so first we had to adapt the bike to suit the track. Today was better, with good pace during the longer runs we did, but it was difficult to make that next step just for a few quicker laps. But, overall, the three days have been positive and I’m looking forward to improving things further when we come back to Spain to test next year.”

Livio Loi #11:
“From the first lap I felt really good on the Kalex-KTM bike, both in the dry yesterday and in the wet this morning. It’s very different from the bikes I’ve ridden previously, even the Honda Moto3 machine I raced in both the European and Spanish championships this year, so it took some getting used to. I’m happy enough with progress here at Albacete, as I managed to improve my time on every lap in both the wet and the dry. Now we head to Valencia for the final Spanish championship round. I always go full gas and it will be no different at Valencia, but now we have the Kalex-KTM I’m hoping we can run in the top five this weekend.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“It’s been a long season, but Scott and Mika managed to complete a lot of work at Valencia and here at Albacete, despite the changeable weather conditions. With the bike we have a good direction for next season, which is always good to know going into the long winter break. Everyone in the team has worked hard this year, as always, so now we need to recharge the batteries ready for next season. Only Livio will have to wait a little longer, as he will race the final CEV round at Valencia this weekend, where we’re hoping to see him running top ten on the Kalex-KTM he tested here at Albacete.”

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Kallio Finishes Season Strong in Valencia!

November 12, 2012 By

Valencia, Spain – 11 November 2012: Mika Kallio stormed his way through the field to take a hard fought seventh place, after starting today’s Moto2 Grand Prix of Valencia from the sixth row of the grid. Scott Redding was disappointed to finish outside the points in the final race of the season, but a lack of mid-corner grip meant he was unable to fight back after a first lap collision.
Rain during the morning, followed by sporadic showers throughout the day, meant that the Moto2 race started in wet conditions, but with a dry line already starting to appear in some corners. Kallio got a good start from the sixth row of the grid, quickly picking off places in the opening laps and moving up through the field as riders crashed out of the race in the tricky and changing conditions.
The Finn, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Thursday, eventually finished seventh and was the first Kalex rider home. The result brought his points tally for the season to 128, securing him sixth place in the Moto2 World Championship standings.
Redding got a good start from the third row of the grid, but got pushed wide on the entry to turn one and then was hit by another rider going into turn two. Both incidents cost the 19-year-old Briton time, but it was a lack of mid-corner grip in the damp conditions that robbed Redding of any chance to fight his way back into the points.
The Marc VDS rider eventually finished the race in 22nd position, bringing to a close his most successful Grand Prix season to date. Redding ended fifth in the final championship standings, with four podium finishes to his name.
The Marc VDS Racing Team will return to Valencia for a one-day test tomorrow, before heading to Albacete for two further days of testing on Wednesday and Thursday. At Albacete Kallio and Redding will be joined by Livio Loi, who will contest the 2013 Moto3 World Championship for the team.
Mika Kallio #36: 7th
“I am a little disappointed with the result today, because I was expecting to be faster. I tried to push from the start to stay with the leading group, but it just wasn’t possible because I had no rear grip and the rear wheel kept coming round on me on the entry to every corner. Scott has had exactly the same problem in the wet and today it cost me any chance of ending the season with a good result. We start testing for 2013 tomorrow and, if the weather is the same as today, we need to focus on finding a solution to this problem. We’re not the only ones suffering from it either, as the results showed quite clearly today. Seventh wasn’t such a bad result given my starting position, but I expected more today.”
Scott Redding #45: 22nd
“As soon as we saw the weather we knew today was going to be tough. I got a good start, but was pushed wide in turn one and then in turn two I was hit so hard by someone that I was winded for the first two laps. We knew set up was going to be an issue in the wet; it was a little bit better than it was in Malaysia, but there was still little grip and I was struggling mid-corner. Finishing out of the points is not how I wanted to end the season, but I can take some consolation in finishing fifth in the championship, my best finish so far.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“Mika ran a good race today, battling his way through the field in conditions that caught out many riders. I know he wanted to end the season with a better result, but given the problems he’s had with the tyres here during practice and qualifying, I think he can be satisfied with a job well done today. The same is true for Scott, who I know fancied his chances of a podium if it was dry. But, unfortunately, it was wet and he struggled with grip issues that meant he wasn’t able to come back after the turn two collision. We ended the season with Scott fifth and Mika sixth in the championship, which makes this our most successful season to date. But we are aiming higher in 2013 and we will start working towards that with the test tomorrow. We will also welcome Livio Loi to the team this week in Albacete and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do on a Moto3 machine.”

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Fourth Place for Scott Redding in Phillip Island!

October 28, 2012 By

Phillip Island, Australia – 28 October 2012: Scott Redding took fourth place finish in today’s Australian Moto2 Grand Prix, but the Marc VDS rider was disappointed to miss out on a podium finish after running in second until the very final lap. Mika Kallio looked all set to claim a top five finish until he crashed out of the race on the penultimate lap after being hit by Simone Corsi.

Redding took advantage of his sixth front row of the season to get away with the leading group, but had no answer to the ultra-fast laps that eventual race winner, Pol Espargaro, put in to immediately pull a gap at the front. The 19-year-old Briton quickly got the better of Marc Marquez to take second place, a position he held until the final lap.

Anthony West managed to force his way past Marquez after bridging the gap to the battle for second place, before making a similar move on Redding to demote the Marc VDS rider to third, which quickly became fourth as Marquez, pushed his way through on the final lap. The Spaniard, who was crowned the 2012 Moto2 World Champion this afternoon, pulled such a big gap with the pass that Redding was unable to mount a challenge on the final lap and was forced to settle for fourth place at the chequered flag.

Starting from the fifth row of the grid, Kallio battled his way through the field to eventually join the battle for fifth position, but the 29-year-old Finn’s race ended in frustration when he was hit by Simone Corsi and crashed out on the penultimate lap.

The Marc VDS Racing Team now return to Europe, where they will contest the final round of the Moto2 World Championship at Valencia, which takes place from 9th – 11th November.

Scott Redding #45: 4th Position
“I’m disappointed to have finished off the podium today, because it was there for the taking. I didn’t get the best of starts, but forced my way through on the opening lap only to be held up a little by Zarco as Espargaro disappeared off into the distance. I knew I had the measure of Marquez, so put in a pass quite early, before settling down and trying to conserve the tyres. I could see Westy was catching us, but I was already on the limit and couldn’t defend the position. I thought I could hold on to third, but then Marquez came past like he had another gear and he was gone before I could even think about putting in a pass on him. Fourth is not what I was looking for here, but at least it’s moved me closer to Lüthi and Iannone in the championship.”

Mika Kallio #36: DNF
“It’s been a difficult weekend, but I thought I could at least salvage it with a decent result today. I got away well from the start and started picking up places immediately, eventually working my way up to the battle for fifth place between Aegerter and Zarco. I was pretty confident I could take fifth before the flag, as I had the pace to pass, but then Corsi ran into me and down I went with less than two laps to go. Obviously, after doing all the hard work to get into the top five, I’m disappointed to lose out so close to the end of the race because of someone else’s mistake.”

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“Scott rode a good race today, but was unlucky to get caught out by West and Marquez right at the end and miss out on a podium finish. When West went past him he still looked a safe bet for third, but then Marquez seemed to find another gear and Scott simply had no answer. I know Scott is disappointed, but he rode an almost perfect race and should take heart from that as we head now to the final round at Valencia. Mika struggled in practice and qualifying but, as he’s done so often in the past, upped his level in the race. He was looking good for a top five finish, until he was hit by Corsi on the penultimate lap, couldn’t hold onto the bike and crashed out. It was a tough way to finish a race in which he’d done so much hard work. Hopefully both riders can finish the season on a high at the final round in Valencia. Congratulations to Marc Marquez on a well deserved championship win today.”

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Another Front Row Start for Redding!

October 27, 2012 By

For the sixth time this season and for the second race in succession, Scott Redding will start from the front row of the grid in tomorrow’s 25-lap Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. Mika Kallio faces a tough race tomorrow, after qualifying on the fifth row of the grid in 14th position today.

Redding ended this morning’s final free practice session at the top of the timesheet, after bettering both the lap record and pole position record at Phillip Island with a lap time of 1’34.018, set in the final third of the 45-minute session.

The 19-year-old Briton carried the same pace into qualifying, briefly topping the timesheet before being demoted to second place by Pol Espargaro, who put in an impressive lap shortly before a rain shower arrived to disrupt proceedings. Redding looked set to challenge Espargaro’s time right at the end of the qualifying session, but lost out and had to settle for second on the grid after a near highside coming onto the Gardner straight.

Kallio struggled in free practice to find a front-end set up on his Kalex Moto2 machine that provided the confidence necessary for the Marc VDS rider to push at the ultra-fast Phillip Island circuit. Kallio’s crew made improvements to the set-up for qualifying only for the 29-year-old Finn to be held up in traffic on each of his pit exits.

Despite qualifying in 14th position, meaning he will start tomorrow’s Australian Moto2 Grand Prix from the fifth row of the grid, Kallio remains confident that with further improvements to the bike during tomorrow’s warm up he can fight for a top ten finish in the race.

Scott Redding #45: 2nd – 1’34.264
“The rain yesterday meant we were a bit short on dry track time, but we managed to make up for that today and I was fastest in the final free practice session this morning. I thought I’d be able to go quicker in qualifying, but the rain arrived just as I was building up to try and better this morning’s lap time. Espargaro has been fast and consistent all weekend, but I was really surprised when he put in such a fast lap and so early on in qualifying. He will be the man to beat tomorrow; I need to stick with him from the start and not let him get away at the front. As the race progresses we know the tyres will drop off a lot and, when that happens, I think the advantage will swing in my favour. I want a race win before the end of the season and I think I have a good chance of getting it here tomorrow.”

Mika Kallio #36: 14th – 1’35.071
“I struggled today with the front end of the bike; I just couldn’t seem to get the feedback I needed to push for a quick lap with any confidence. We made some changes that gave some improvement, but it was still a problem going into qualifying. Unfortunately I had a couple of other issues to contend with in qualifying. My ideal lap was about half a second quicker than my fastest lap, because it was difficult to string a good lap together with all the traffic. I don’t mind riders waiting for a tow, but when they do it on the racing line and make no effort to get out of the way of faster riders then it’s not only frustrating but dangerous too. We’ve had meetings about this with race direction, who promised penalties, but it was the same story today. Tomorrow I need to get a good start and then try and pick off riders as quickly as I can if I’m to leave here with a top ten finish.

Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“Scott has been close to the top of the timesheet all weekend here, despite the infamous Phillip Island weather disrupting three of the four sessions, including qualifying. If it’s dry tomorrow then I’m confident that Scott can race for the win. In the early stages he’ll need to stick like glue to Pol Espargaro, who has shown incredible speed and consistency here, if he is to mount a challenge as the race progresses and grip becomes more difficult to find. He’ll also need to keep a close eye on Marc Marquez, who I’m sure will be keen to seal the world championship with a win tomorrow. Mika struggled today, both with a lack of confidence in the front end of the bike and with traffic in qualifying. It will be difficult for him tomorrow, but we’ve seen him fight his way through from the fifth row before and I’m confident he can secure a top ten finish tomorrow.”

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