Moto2′s second free practice this afternoon at Jerez de la Frontera was neither wet nor dry, with many riders undecided which tire to use, so many of them sat out most of the session until the final minutes.

In fact Marc VDS Racing Team’s Mika Kallio topped the timesheets in a last lap lunge in 1:55.675, followed by this morning’s leader Johan Zarco, who also posted his best lap in the finale. Both riders toppled Arguiñano Racing Team’s Ricky Cardus (who lost two rides during the pre-season) who had led the entire practice until the final minutes.

Anthony West was fourth with a very prudent Marc Marquez right on his tail in fifth adrift by just 0.060s. Thomas Luthi took the sixth spot and was seven tenths from leader Kallio and was followed by Axel Pons and Alex De Angelis who jumped to eighth position also in his final run.

Scott Redding and Randy Krummenacher closed out the top ten, in what was an uneventful and almost useless session.

Continue reading: Moto2 Jerez: Mika Kallio tops difficult FP2

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Most riders like to train with motocross bikes, but if you live in Finland where in the winter off season the ground is covered with ice and snow, you end up occasionally training on it, like Moto2 rider Mika Kallio.

Kallio was the 2009 MotoGP rookie of the year and currently rides for Marc VDS Moto2 Racing Team and is passionate about ice racing. So passionate that back in 2010 he took two national titles in his homeland and this winter he had time to train and also ice race for a week, but unable to repeat his 2010 wins.

Not only did he ice race, he also took part in one of those motorcycle vs car battles - on ice - against a formidable opponent like the former 23 time International Rally winner and four time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen. The event took place at the Kuusamo ice circuit where Kankkunen has one of his driving schools. Kallio was riding a KTM EXC 450, while Kankkunen was driving a Subaru Impreza STi. No times were released, but apparently Kallio was a couple of tenths faster.

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MotoGP rider Mika Kallio dropped out of the final two races of the season due to lingering shoulder problems, has found a ride in Moto2 for 2011 with Marc VDS Racing Team.

Kallio will be replacing Hector Faubel and will be paired up with Scott Redding and will debut in today’s Moto2 test at the Valencia circuit and also revealed that his new team is also thinking of moving to MotoGP in the future.

“I had quite a few options in Moto2 for next year, but with Marc VDS I know I’ve found the right team for me. Their results in the second half of the season show clearly that they are one of the top teams on the grid and with them I know I can make good results next year,” said Kallio. “I’m sure there are some people who think this is a step backwards for me career wise, but I disagree. I think it is a great opportunity for me and I know that with this team I can be back at the front once again. The fact that the Marc VDS Racing Team are committed to stepping up to the MotoGP class in the future is also a very positive thing for me, as I still feel I have unfinished business there. Now I just need to get a feel for the Suter MMX, starting tomorrow morning (today) with my first test aboard the bike.”

Continue reading: Moto2: Mika Kallio signs with Marc VDS Racing

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Mika Kallio decided pulled out of the final two races of this season due to shoulder pain and try to get fit for next season with an eye on Moto2, but apparently the Finn will be fit enough, if he postpones surgery, to test a Moto2 bike at Valencia in the post season tests, if he should find a team.

Speaking of future plans, Kallio said, “At this point I do not know exactly what will happen. As I said, the priority was to continue in this category, but as everyone knows there are so few spots and it’s difficult to find a place, so I’m looking at Moto2, and Superbikes, but for now I think Moto2 would be the best option for me.”

Kallio’s name has been linked to a least two teams, one of which is Ajo Motorsports, but even finding a Moto2 team next season will be difficult task without sponsor money and the grid being slashed from the present forty riders to the thirty odd expected to race in 2011.

“There are two, three, four teams are possible options for me … but at the moment I do not know what will happen. I think maybe in a few days or a week we’ll know more, and of course after the Valencia race will be there for the first test.”

Source | motocuatro.com

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We known for several weeks that Mika Kallio was suffering from continuing shoulder pain and that after Carlos Checa tested the GP10 at the Mugello it was just a question of time before Pramac Ducati would announce Kallio’s pull-out from the final two races of the season.

Infact Pramac Ducati has issued a press release today confirming that the Finnish rider will leave the team with immediate effect.

“It is since Japan’s race that the pain in my left shoulder, injured in Le Mans race, has become too intense. I immediately talked to the Team who understood my situation and agreed that I would try to race in Malaysia and Australia and then decide to continue or not in the last two races,” said Kallio. “Unfortunately, despite the good race today, the pain didn’t allowed me to perform in the best way, together with the Team, we decided to conclude our partnership today. It has been a hard choice for me, but in this way I’ll be able to find the best physical condition and think about my future. I would like to thank Paolo Campinoti that was very helpful in managing this situation. I would like to also thank all the technical staff of the Pramac Racing Team with which I have found myself very well in this two year and I’ll always remember them with great affection. ”

Continue reading: Official, Mika Kallio out of Pramac Ducati

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Carlos Checa has posted this brief video on Twitter of his test with the Ducati GP10 at the Mugello. Checa, who has officially renewed with WSBK team Althea Racing is testing the MotoGP bike after Mika Kallio requested (it now seems it was the Finn’s idea) to pull-out of the final two races of the season.

If Checa’s lap times are good and he decides to race at Estoril and Valencia, you can safely bet that Ducati will also roll out the new GP11 and have him give his opinion on the bike.

Source | carloschecatwitvid.com via motomatters.com

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After being the 2009 rookie of the year Mika Kallio has been having a tough follow-up year with Pramac Racing and currently lies last in the standings.

The Finn is still battling shoulder pain, has had trouble gelling with the 2010 Desmosedici and rumors say he’s also been having personal problems with his former manager and running constantly at the back of the field could see Kallio ousted from the team after next weekend’s last fly away round at Phillip Island.

Althea Ducati rider Carlos Checa, who finished third in the 2010 WSBK championship has been asked to replace Kallio for the final two races at Estoril and Valencia, pending the results of a private two day test with Ducati GP10 that takes place tomorrow and Wednesday at the Mugello race track.

Source | bikeracing.it

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From the rumors that World Superbike’s Max Neukirchner would be heading to MotoGP and ride a Pramac Ducati with the latest item coming out of Sepang is that not only Neurkirchner will not be in MotoGP, but the Italian team run by Paolo Campinoti will be fielding only one rider next season.

The one rider should be MotoGP veteran Loris Capirossi - even if there hasn’t been any official announcement, but Capirossi’s manager, Carlo Pernat insisting that that the contract has been signed, which would leave out in the cold, rookie Aleix Espargaro and underperforming Mika Kallio, with both riders expected to be heading in Moto2, with Kallio linked to Ajo Motorsport and Espargaro to be fielded in all Spanish team with his brother Pol.

With the continuing rumors (publically confirmed by Francis Batta of Alstare Suzuki) that Suzuki will also field only one bike in MotoGP next season and that Interwetten Honda will be pulling out completely from the 2011 championship due to budget and sponsorship problems, could mean only 15 bikes on the grid next year, and the FIM will no longer be able to close their eyes and could legally pretend that Dorna return to the 18 rider minimum grid that is required or MotoGP lose their world championship status.

Source | motomatters.com

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That Mika Kallio is having a torrid second year in MotoGP is under the eyes of every racing fan. The Finnish rider who debuted in MotoGP in 2009 in the factory-supported Pramac Ducati satellite team and was the MotoGP Rookie of the Year, has struggled to find form on the more rider friendly GP10 this year.

Kallio with all probability will be dropped by team manager Paolo Campinoti at the end of the season to make room for Loris Capirossi, and rumors have it that Kallio could be picked up by the Moto2 Ajo Motorsport team which runs under the banner of Aeroport de Castello - Ajo.

Veteran rider Alex Debon who currently races for the Spanish team plans to retire at the season and the team is looking for an experienced rider, and Kallio could be on their shopping list to ride next year’s FTR M210 and pair him up with 125cc points leader Marc Marquez who could make the jump to Moto2 next year with very heavy Repsol sponsor backing.

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Mika Kallio’s seventh place at Jerez GP was an excellent result for the Pramac team, but the Green Energy Team true to their word to be the first team in Grand Prix paddock to be eco friendly, debuted their new energy saving trucks.

Each Pramac truck mounts 12 solar panels and another two on the pit canopy, made by Pramac’s Solar division, and the panels are capable of generating 2,8 kW of electric energy, with an estimated annual saving of 3,36 MWh of energy, but the most important data is that 2,3 tons of CO2 will be saved by the use of the solar panels that will not be released into atmosphere.

Both trucks attracted the attention of all the paddock guests as did the two wind turbines RevolutionAir designed for Pramac by Philippe Starck. Even if the wind was relatively weak and inconsistent at Jerez, the wind turbines generated almost enough electricity to keep the screens and to the equipment inside the garage going. The wind turbines are capable of generating 0.8 kW with an annual savings of 650 kg of CO2 emissions.

Continue reading: Pramac Racing Team First for Energy Savings

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The other day Alpinestars, the Italian-based company unveiled their new innovation for motorcycle riding protection, the Electronic Airbag Technology.

MotoGP riders Ben Spies, Mika Kallio and Dani Pedrosa are currently using the AStars airbag system and you can check out from the video how they deploy on Pramac Ducati rider Mika Kallio.

The incorporated airbags are located in the shoulder, collarbone region and the system is said to add about 500 grams of weight compared Dainese’s D-Air weight of 700-750 grams.

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According to GP Week Aleix Espargaro will be riding with Pramac Ducati next season as their second rider, next to the already confirmed Mika Kallio.

Espargaro, older brother of Pol, who won yesterday’s 125cc race, was hotly tipped as getting the ride after his two races on the Ducati Desmosedici at the Indianapolis GP where he placed 13th and at Misano where he finished 11th, surprising many, including team owner Paolo Campinoti.

Campinoti infact was so pleasantly surprised that he tried to oust his regular rider, Nicolò Canepa, but the Italian fought against the move, getting Ducati management to defend him and obtaining the right to finish the season with the team.

With Espargaro getting the last ride available in MotoGP, officially closes the 2009 silly season, leaving both Gresini riders, Alex DeAngelis and Toni Elias out of MotoGP.

Source | gpweek

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