Current pace does not satisfy - big changes expected for qualifying practice

The second race of the season 2015 is rounding up in Austin, Texas. The rainy conditions caused the overall lap times to be slower than last year, but even though Kallio is a fast rider on a wet track, he was now a whole 1,7 seconds behind the pace setter’s lap times. In the first free practice this entitled Kallio to position 8 and during FP 2 we was left at position 16. Naturally this did not satisfy him and big changes to bike set-ups are on the table once again. 

 -The first practice of today showed me already that we are yet again in trouble with the bike and a whole lot slower than the fastest guys of the day. I am normally fast on a wet track, so I knew immediately that we have still a lot of work to do. 

 The main issues Kallio faced were those concerning the front grip, similar as in Qatar during the previous race weekend. 

 - I have a feeling we still have no idea what causes the bike’s undesired behaviour. Tomorrow we need to make some radical changes to the settings before qualifying practice, for instance by shifting the bike’s balance more towards the front. We will also experiment with a looser front spring and change the back spring to a stiffer one. It is not a small adjustment we are making here, but something has to change because we can’t continue with the bike as it is, a frustrated Kallio states. 

 In addition to the adjustments concerning the bike’s balance, Kallio will also implement new overall gearing, which means he will change the 1-5 gear to a 2-6 system. The Circuit of the Americas-track forces the riders to choose either gearing system and one gear is left out of use anyhow. Kallio has made his mind and will now change his previous gearing preferences. 

 -Tomorrow we will use the gears 2-6, which means that I have to find new lines on the track to ride and change my riding rhythm in the corners to fit the new overall gearing. This also means more corner speed, because the first gear is not in use any longer, Kallio describes. 

 The second free practice of Friday saw some crashes, upon them Sam Lowes’s big flight through the air. Luckily the rider is ok and according to Kallio, these incidents are a part of the sport and cannot be fully avoided. 

 -The rider needs to be alert all the time, because if you misplace the timing with the gas or breaks, the power will easily throw you off balance when the grip disappears and the bike will crash. Now when the track was a bit moist during the afternoon but we rode with slicks, it provided additional challenges to all riders, Kallio reported. 

 On Saturday during the qualifying practice Kallio will aim for the positions 9. or higher. On the steep and hilly track of Texas, a good starting position is essential because the tight lefthand corner at the end of the first uphill offers no additional space for those willing to pass easily. 

 -We will absolutely not give up on this weekend, but will fight to the very end to acquire a decent starting position on the grid for Sunday’s race. The first turn is very important, so I aim to attack the corner with the front guys and try to avoid the traffic. I really hope that we will succeed with finding suitable settings and I can start enjoying myself and fight for the podiums, a determined Kallio finishes. 

A live tv-broadcast from Saturday’s qualifying will air on Nelonen  Pro 1 -channel at 23:05 Finnish time.

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