KTM delay 250GP debut

The new KTM 250cc GP bike will not race until the French GP, the fourth round of the season.

“The KTM 250 was always planned as a development project for 2005 so not being present for the opening race in Jerez is not a major issue for us,” said motorsport manager Kurt Nicoll. “The 125cc team is our primary focus for 2005 and it makes sense to complete evaluation trials of the new 250 before we start racing.”

The bike will be ridden by Australian Anthony West, who has signed a two-year deal with the KTM team. The bike will not be at the current IRTA tests scheduled for Barcelona and Jerez, but private sessions will be completed before the KTM 250 is ready to race.

“The 250 is progressing according to our target which was always to have a bike that would begin to show its potential in the second half of the 2005 season,” said KTM’s Harold Bartol. “The 2006 season is our priority.”

The KTM attempt of the 125cc championship will begin at the first race with three riders – Mika Kallio, Gabor Talmacsi and Julian Simon, while the MotoGP joint effort with TeamKR will see Shane Byrne on the KTM V4-powered machine.