KTM and Team KTM Maehr Superstock celebrated their best ever race weekend at the tradition-rich, 3.703 km British racing circuit of Brands Hatch with both riders Rene Maehr and newcomer Pauli Pekkanen finishing in the points.
Rene Maehr crossed the line in thirteenth place while his new Finnish team-mate Pekkanen came in at fourteenth in a race run in very difficult conditions. Rain just before the race made the choice of tyres tricky and vital, a situation further complicated as the track dried out in the final stages. Maehr opted for intermediates while Pekkanen decided on an intermediate for the rear tyre and a wet tyre for the front, a choice that meant the Finnish rider lost some ground in the closing stages of the race.
The result was a testament to both the riders' skills and to the KTM 1190 RC8, which was only launched earlier this year in Europe and is in its first year of racing. In practice Maehr was twenty first and Pekkanen twenty sixth so both were able to significantly improve on race day. Both riders and the team were delighted with the results, especially as the FIM Superstock 1000 World Cup is one of the toughest competitions in motorcycle racing.
Maehr:
"I am naturally very happy with this result,"Today we had very difficult conditions for the race but I managed to choose the right tyres. All the team worked really well and my thirteenth place is a big success for me, the bike and the entire team."
Pekkanen:
"I had a fantastic start and I was able to overtake about five riders in the first curve. I managed to stick with Rene all the way. I just had to hold back a bit at the very end because the front tyre was starting to wear."
The team now has a month to prepare for round eight when they return to the UK to race at Donington Park Raceway on September 7, 2009.
Images by Porrozzi F.
