After a long time, Finland will have its own representative in the World Series of track motorcycling.
More than ten years have passed since Mika Kallio last rode a full season in the World Series of track motorcycling.
Jarno Saarinen the world championship has to be dug far from history from the early years of the 1970s.
Maybe that’s why the sport has fallen into obscurity in Finland in recent years. At the same time, the MotoGP series is experiencing its own renaissance around the world.
The commercial rights of the MotoGP series are now with Liberty Media, which is also familiar from the formulas, and the media coverage is accordingly.
Hundreds of millions of viewers follow the live race broadcasts on television, and as many as 311,797 tickets were sold for last season’s Le Mans race.
Rico Salmela’s season starts in Thailand. Jussi Saarinen
Maybe now the popularity would finally show in Finland as well – thanks to Rico Salmela’s new contract.
to the World Cup
The 18-year-old from Nokia replaces the Australian of Jacob Roulstone In the Moto3 series and in the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team.
There are 22 tight race weekends ahead. You have to find the pace right from the first practice.
– It’s a big step for me. The tracks are new and the entire GP pit is a completely new world. I just have to try to do my best and not think too much about useless things, Salmela begins.
– As long as my development goes forward and my own feeling improves. If everything goes well, it would be nice to fight in the top group. I believe it is possible.
The season starts this coming weekend at the Buriram Speedway in Thailand.
– I rode a Honda last year, so now it’s a completely different bike underneath. In the tests, we were already able to work with the new driving style. Now we know where we should improve.
– That is the goal in the first games.
Development in mind
Moto3 is naturally a stepping stone to the bigger Moto2 class and finally to MotoGP, which awaits as the crown jewel.
Salmela is a familiar sight on the Spanish tracks. Here’s a style sample from Jerez. PDO
Salmela does not want to give an exact timetable for his progress.
– Everything depends on how I ride and develop on a smaller bike. I am now focusing on this season and only then will I see where I go next.
– Of course it’s a possibility, and I’ve trained a lot on big bikes.
Salmela inherited motorcycling directly from his father. Tero Salmela had raced motocross and supermoto (sort of a cross between motocross and track motorcycling).
The boy switched to track bikes for good at the age of five.
– Yes, that speed was significantly faster than in cross. It made a big impression, Salmela recalls now.
Father Salmela was a great help in the early stages of his career, but now the umbilical cord has been cut. From now on, 18-year-old Rico will take responsibility for his own professional career.
– I finished school and now let’s focus fully on this. You can go to school even later, but there’s no point in going to that World Series and wondering if you’ll ever get there in your thirties.
“Console open”
14 of the 22 races are held in Europe, the tracks of which are mostly familiar to Salmela. All distance races mean jumping into the unknown.
– I am looking forward to all the Asian Games. They can be really difficult because there is really little training time. But they offer new cultures and new paths for me.
– Just open the console and start the MotoGP game, he laughs.
Salmela now spends a large part of his free time in Spain. Moving there was an important step towards full professionalism.
– I would be able to develop it elsewhere, but living in Spain makes it easier. There’s such a good team pushing forward. It helps a lot.
– You can always find someone there to train with.
Spain is the absolute superpower of track motorcycling. For example, since 2010, the world championship of the reigning class, MotoGP, has gone outside the country’s borders only four times.
Salmela lives his everyday life mainly in Spain. Jussi Saarinen
Salmela’s superiority in the Moto3 class is possibly even greater.
– The weather is so good in Spain. The Cartagena track is half an hour from the camp. We go to different tracks every week, so you don’t have to miss the same track, says Salmela.
– I try to keep myself fit and ready for the games.
Finger strength is worth it
Formula drivers have to strengthen their necks in particular. In track motorcycling, it is important to get compression force in the fingers.
– I have always had reasonably good strength in my shoulders and hands. When braking, you have to squeeze really hard. And there are many braking points in one lap – and several laps are run in the race.
– In addition, quite a lot of endurance training will be done.
Salmela also has one rather exotic hobby. He spends some of his free time on the brass jujutsu tatami.
– I started that when I was five years old. Now I haven’t gotten around to visiting very much. This winter I’ve been doing a little freestyle training. I get a little endurance and developed reactions in that too.
– I don’t know if it supports track motorcycling in any way, but I like it. And there’s no blood sparring in training there. Nothing should hurt.
