Kallio pushes closer to the top - eighth in free practices of Australia

Moto2-rider Mika Kallio demonstrated his determination for improvement during Friday’s free practice sessions at Phillip Island, Australia. Kallio pushed his new QMMF/Speed Up-bike towards quicker lap times consistently and ended up just a mere 0,4 seconds short of the fastest lap of the day, clocked by Spaniard Alex Rins. Kallio was satisfied with his efforts and awaits the qualifying and race day with relaxed spirits. 

-We rode this morning in changing weather. Here in Australia it might rain one minute and shine the next, which is exactly what happened today. We weren’t expecting rain until Saturday, so we changed our plans a bit to suit the conditions. The first session was slightly tricky, since the track began to dry up mid-practice and the strong wind did not help either. My own performance was not so sharp in the morning, but luckily there was still time to improve, Kallio commented. 

-During the second practice the sun was out and conditions had improved a lot. We modified the rear shock linkage a bit and this adjustment helped me turn the bike better when entering corners. I was able to cut a big chunk off my lap times and I am happy with my own job as well, as I was able to push more in the afternoon, maintain consistency and improve even on the final lap. The 0,4 second gap is a result I am satisfied in at the moment and this gives us a good base for tomorrow, Kallio continued. 

The fastest lap of Friday was also the last lap of the day for Kallio, which suggests a good race pace for the Finn. Trust towards the bike grows stronger by every kilometre ridden and Kallio ensures he dares to take more risks on track while the amount of performed laps on the new bike increases. The results are visible for all in the form of steadily improving lap times. 

-I was able to push hard in the afternoon, because I am growing more aware of the bike’s limits and behaviour. Last year I rode a full race distance in the qualifying practice, without entering the pits once. If I am able to clock a decent time tomorrow during the early laps of QP, I might well repeat the strategy. The more laps I make on this bike, the better the feeling becomes, Kallio explained. 

The minimum goal set by Kallio is to make it to the top three rows of Saturday’s qualifying, so position nine or higher. The target seems realistic due to recent improvements and the rider seems confident on the scenic track of Phillip Island. 

-The biggest issue at the moment regards the acceleration point after slow corners. This is where we lose some valuable tenths, because the rear grip is not optimal yet. I am not able to open the gas as early as I would prefer. I am sure we will figure something out tomorrow to help with this detail and if this happens, I should be able to reach my set goal, Kallio finished happily.

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