Login | Password dimenticata? | Registrati

KTM Superstock riders wrap up first ever season with RC8 in difficult conditions

In SBK

03 novembre 2008

KTM Maehr Superstock Team riders Rene Maehr and Pauli Pekkanen on Sunday wrapped up the first ever season for KTM's involvement in FIM Superstock 1000 World Cup racing both finishing a tough race on a new circuit at Portimao, Portugal.
The race, in which Maehr piloted the KTM 1190 RC8 to seventeenth position while teammate Pekkanen crossed the line at thirtieth, was a real test of skills over a very demanding, 4.59km of spectacular rollercoaster layout. The teammates also had to contend with changing weather conditions where it was mostly wet at the start of the race and mostly dry at the finish. The right choice of tyres was therefore something of a lottery. It was already clear during the practice sessions that the weekend would be a tough one. Rene qualified in seventeenth place while Pauli was less satisfied being back at thirtieth on the crowded grid for Sunday's race. The RC8 however performed well and was ranked in the top five fastest on the longest straight.

Difficult start
The huge field of 41 riders hit the first corner on race day in a state of chaos and on very mixed asphalt conditions. Rene, who started with dry tyres and a dry set up therefore sacrificed a couple of places in the opening laps. Pauli, on the other hand, went out with a dry tyre in the rear and an intermediate in the front and immediately gained some ground. Five laps later the two KTM riders were riding together in a pack battling it out in the centre of the field, a period that saw some spectacular slipstream action on the finishing straight. Rene gained in speed and was able to work his way up to seventeenth place as the track progressively dried out. Pekkanen was still close behind him when he was struck by an Italian Suzuki at the end of the main straight in the second last lap. He was forced off the track, lost more than 20 seconds and dropped to place 30.

Although the two riders failed to pick up points in the gruelling, do-or-die, 12-lap race, the RC8 was again fast and very competitive, registering a top speed of 277 km/h for Pekkanen's bike. It had also been the team's main goal to gather experience in this inaugural year in the FIM Superstock 1000 World Cup.

What the riders said after Portmao:
Rene Mähr: "In general I enjoyed this new and very special track a lot, but it was really unlucky that we weren't able to experience the circuit under good conditions. It would have helped me a lot to have a more useful time and better starting position, but as always, some things you cannot decide. That's racing! Our decision to go for dry tyres was the right one even if it meant we lost some places in the beginning. In the end I was able to go at a good pace and while place 17 is for sure not what we had expected, we shouldn't be too frustrated under these conditions."

Pauli Pekkanen: "I cannot hide that I'm really disappointed. Even in the two practice days, I wasn't able to find my rhythm and I had to push very hard in the race to catch up places. My start was not bad, but in the first corner it was like a traffic jam on the wet surface. Later I was able to overtake about 10 riders and I could use the slipstream on the straight. The bike was really fast today. The fact that I almost crashed and had to leave the track two laps before the end is typical for this class and it doesn't make me any happier that the rider was disqualified for this attack."

Results
1 - Brendan Roberts - Ducati Xerox Junior Team - 22'23.040
2 - Chris Seaton - Celani Team Suzuki Italia - 22'26.035
3 - Maxime Berger - Hannspree IDS Ten Kate Honda - 22'26.978
4 - Michele Pirro - Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni - 22'27.813
5 - Matej Smrz - MS Racing - 22'40.206
17 - Rene Maehr - KTM Maehr Superstock - 23'23.472
30 - Pauli Pekkanen - KTM Maehr Superstock - 23'51.943