Mika Kallio

Mika Kallio ( born November 8, 1982 in Valkeakoski, Pirkanmaa, Finland) is a Finnish motorcycle racer.

His biggest success has been the profit of the World Championship in the 125cc class in 2005 and 2006 to KTM.

In the 2010 season he will start in the MotoGP class for the Ducati. His starting point is for some years the 36th

Career

Mika Kallio started his own words until the age of 14 with the motorcycle racing. In 1997 he finished second in the RR - B125 - cc class of the Finnish Championship, also in the Finnish Ice Speedway Championship he finished second. The following year he took third place in the Finnish Road Championship and in Iceracing. In 1999 he succeeded his first title. He was a Finnish road champion. In addition, he managed a second place in the Nordic championship in the RR -125 - cc class. In 2000, Kallio was then able to win this championship. He also repeated his title in the Finnish Road Championship and in Iceracing.

In 2001 he went into the International German Motorcycle Championship (IDM ) and immediately became fifth in the final standings. He also gave the Grand Prix of Germany at Sachsenring his debut in the 125cc class of motorcycle road racing World Championship.

In 2002, Mika Kallio played his first full season in the 125cc World Championship on a Honda team Ajo Motorsport and was Gesamtelfter. This work was recognized by the sports press with the title Rookie of the Year of the 125 cc class.

In 2003, he was able to repeat his eleventh place in the overall standings. Sensation was caused primarily be switching from Honda to KTM newcomers during the season, where he replaced the hapless world champion last year, Arnaud Vincent and the previously lower than expected results of the manufacturer's improved greatly. In the third last round of the season, the Malaysian Grand Prix Kallio succeeded with second place even his first podium finish.

The 2004 season ran for Mika Kallio, however, not as successful as he had often struggled with suspension problems on his KTM and was left with the tenth place overall behind expectations. In Iceracing he was, however, in the 125 - cm ³ - and in the 500 cc class again master of his home country.

The 2005 season was the most successful up to that point in the career of the Finns. Already in the second race of the season, the Grand Prix of Portugal at Estoril him his first win for KTM succeeded. This is followed by three more wins, ten podiums and eight pole positions. After a thrilling duel with the Swiss Thomas Luthi, Mika Kallio was five points behind eventually vice world champion of the 125 - cc class. At KTM, but failed to reach this success not happy so right, as the second driver, the Hungarian Gabor Talmacsi, Kallio at the Grand Prix of Qatar, against the team order, the victory snatched away and the Finns to important championship points before the nose had brought. In addition, Mika Kallio were lost in some self-inflicted fall further important points. Nevertheless, he was awarded " qualifier of the year 125 cc " and won the Finnish 125 cc Iceracing Championship.

In the 2006 season succeeded Mika Kallio to repeat his vice world champion title. He had to give the outstanding drivers of the season, the Spaniard Alvaro Bautista, beaten this time. Although Kallio much more constant than in 2005 went to complain and had no failures due to driver error, he lost the world title clear with 76 points behind the Bautista, who won the championship also because of its superior this year, the KTM Aprilia. Nevertheless Kallio record this season with three wins, seven second and third place was again respectable. In Finland, he was elected in a vote of the public service broadcaster YLE and the motor sports show Ruutulippu for the second time in a row, " Racer of the Year". Any third party nominated this Kallio, who prevailed over the Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen.

The 2007 season and the 2008 season will Kallio contest together with the Japanese Hiroshi Aoyama as a KTM factory rider in the 250 cc class.

Statistics in the Motorcycle World Championship

(As of end of season 2013)

571598
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