KTM Announces 2006 Motorcycle World Championship Plans

Photos & Text Courtesy KTM

Austrian Manufacturer KTM will field two teams in next year’s 125-cc-Motorcycle-World Championship.

Apart from the official works team with Mika Kallio (Finland) and Julian Simon (Spain), KTM will also field a Junior Team: Stefan Bradl, son of former German 250-cc-star Helmut Bradl, and Austrian Michael Ranseder will be the riders for the Red Bull KTM Junior Team.

Both Bradl and Ranseder have already participated (and scored points) in some selected Grands Prix in 2005, but 2006 will be the first full World Championship season for both youngsters. 

Team-Manager of the Bull KTM Junior Team will be Austrian Dieter Stappert, who has successfully run GP-teams with riders like Reinhold Roth, Helmut Bradl, Ralf Waldmann and Jeremy McWilliams in the past 18 years. 

“KTM and Red Bull want to give young and talented riders the opportunity to compete on the highest level of motorcycle racing”, says KTM’s Racing boss Harald Bartol, “and we are all looking forward to this new and exciting project”.

The first tests for the Red Bull KTM Junior Team are scheduled to take place in Spain at the end of January.

The KTM 125cc and 250cc Racing Program for 2006 will include (photos and personal information below): Red Bull ADAC KTM Juniors (IDM). Randy Krummenacher, Robin Lässer; Red Bull KTM Juniors Stefan Bradl, Michael Ranseder; Red Bull KTM GP 125 Mika Kallio, Julian Simon; Red Bull KTM GP 250 Manuel Poggiali, Hiroshi Aoyama.