Red Bull KTM Ajo go to Misano in lead of Moto3 standings

11/09/2013

Luis Salom outright leader in run-up to round twelve. Arthur Sissis and Zulfahmi Khairuddin hope to bounce back from disappointment experienced at Silverstone.
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After eleven Grands Prix, order the Red Bull KTM Ajo team lead the way in Moto3 through Luis Salom. The Spaniard has a 26-point advantage over his nearest rival and won a second consecutive race at the British GP two weeks ago. Overcoming the pain of a fractured heel to continue his strong form this season, Salom hopes for another good performance at San Marino and Riviera di Rimini GP. Arthur Sissis and Zulfahmi Khairuddin did not have such a good weekend at Silverstone last time out.

Luis Salom arrives at the Misano Marco Simoncelli circuit having avoided a trip to the operating theatre beforehand. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider was advised by doctors last week to allow his fractured heel to recover naturally. The winner of the most recent race, Salom holds his biggest advantage to date in the overall standings —26 points ahead of his nearest rival. He has 18 career podiums in Moto3 and is the rider with the most wins and rostrums in the fledgling history of the class. This weekend he will be aiming for another top three finish, and he placed second at Misano last season.

Teammate Arthur Sissis suffered a small crash in the race at Silverstone, denying him a sixth consecutive points scoring finish. Misano has been good to Sissis, who placed tenth there last season and hopes to be on form this weekend.

A poor qualifying position hindered Zulfahmi Khairuddin at the British GP, but the Malaysian rider is putting that behind him and is ready to rectify things on Saturday and Sunday. He was on the second row at Misano in 2012, placing eleventh in the race.

Circuit information – Misano Marco Simoncelli
Length: 4.226 m / 2.626 miles
Width: 14 metres
Left corners: 6
Right corners: 10
Longest straight: 565 m / 0.351 miles
Constructed: 1969
Modified: 2008

Luis Salom,
“The doctors decided last week that the best option was not to undergo surgery on my left heel, so this week I’ve been resting up. They told me that it was very important to rest and to not put any weight on my foot. I can’t wait to get back on the bike. We’ve only got six races left and we want to get the best from all of them. Misano is tricky, with fast corners and some slow ones as well. Here, more than at any other track, we will have to use all the asphalt. I’ve been watching races and practices from previous years and places are decided by milliseconds. We will have to be very focused.”

Arthur Sissis,
“Just like Silverstone, Misano is a track that I like a lot although it wasn’t always like that. I don’t have many fond memories of the Red Bull Rookies Cup rounds there, but last year I had a good race. I hope to repeat or better my performance from last year this weekend. For this to happen, we will need to improve on our Friday and Saturday showings compared to the last GP. We need to do as we did at Indianapolis, where we were inside the top ten in every session.”

Zulfahmi Khairuddin,
“Last year’s race at Misano wasn’t bad for us. I think that the track has some of the fastest corners on the calendar and I can’t wait to get back on the bike to ride them on Friday. I hope to feel comfortable and find a good setup as soon as possible, so that I can go faster with every lap. If I had to choose a favourite part of the track, then I would say the first sector. It isn’t fast, but I enjoy it and feel good on those opening corners.”

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