MOTOGP: KTM set for Valencia debut

KTM will make its MotoGP debut in the final round of the 2016 championship at Valencia, according to test rider Mika Kallio.

Speaking at the Red Bull Ring test, where KTM is running Kallio and Thomas Luhti, Kallio confirmed speculation the marque will contest November's race as a precursor to a full-time assault in 2017.

"[We're] around two seconds behind the fastest guys, at the moment it's quite good," test rider Kallio told the official MotoGP website. "We still have time to work before we come to the Valencia race."

Kallio said he was upbeat about the progress of the KTM RC16 machine after lapping 2.292 seconds of Andrea Dovizioso's fastest time in the test.

"Everyone can be really satisfied that we're here with the others The lap times were on a good level," he added. "We tried to follow the others and see how the bike is behaving and where we are losing compared to them."

KTM's move follows Suzuki's lead in 2014 in contesting the finale of the season before its full-time MotoGP return. Current Tech3 Yamaha riders Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro will race for the team in 2017 and '18.

Originally on Autosport.com