Kallio 14th in Sepang qualifying - Challenging race ahead

Mika Kallio’s qualifying session did not turn out as anticipated on Saturday afternoon in Malaysia. Kallio’s aim was to push hard the first three laps and hope to make his fast qualifying lap in the very beginning of the session. This was the one and only possible strategy towards success, as the rider had only one new preferred harder option tyre left. 

The first few laps seemed promising as seen on sector timings, but unluckily big traffic on track hindered Kallio’s efforts and he was stuck behind a group of slower riders and lost his rhythm. The end of the session was pointless time-wise, as it was known beforehand that no competitive lap times can be reached with the soft tyre, which was the only one left. A small drizzle of rain emerged on the final minutes and the session left Kallio on the fourteenth place of the start grid, to a position the Finn was not satisfied in. 

-I am quite disappointed, as I had set higher expectations on this qualifying. Too bad we had only one suitable tyre to use, because this meant that the last half of the session was quite useless for me. I was not able to run a single clean lap in the start of the session, so I would say theme was the day was “stuck in traffic”, Kallio commented. 

-After closer scrutiny of sector lap times, we noticed that my pace would have gotten me in to seventh place without the traffic. It’s a shame, but naturally seventh position would still have been too far from the top, Kallio grinned. 

The seventh position would have been the highest placement of Speed Up-bikes here in Sepang. It clearly seems, that the bike is not such a good fit to this track, compared to Australia for instance. Kallio confirms that big changes in settings need to be done for tomorrow, as he doubts he will make it to the finish line at all otherwise. 

-We need to try something completely different for the race, because otherwise I will ride five good laps, destroy the rear tyre and walk my bike to the chequered flag. We’ll experiment with a shorter bike in the warm up session and see if this brings more grip to the rear and preserves the tyres better. Many fellow riders share the same problems with tyre endurance in these conditions, but we know for sure that after the grip is finished, my lap times might sink like a rock, Kallio stated. 

-The key for success tomorrow is to make a good start, aim to climb as many positions as possible and try to survive somehow after the tyre gives in. I hope it will last more than five laps, but I fear for the worst and even though I am quite satisfied with my pace, I predict the race will be rough, Kallio finished. 

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