Kallio's career got off to a successful start in his native Finland where he won the national 125 title for three consecutive seasons, also being crowned national ice racing champion. In 2001 he made his debut in the World Championship as a wildcard, riding a full season the next year for Ajo Motorsport and taking 125cc Rookie of the Year with 11th. Runner-up spot in 2005 and 2006 led to a switch to the 250s, with third place in 2008 earning him a premier class ride for 2009 with Pramac in which he took Rookie of the Year, also filling in for Casey Stoner on the factory Ducati team for three races, but a difficult second season in 2010 led to a step down to Moto2 for 2011. After a tough start to the campaign Kallio's season picked up in the final third and he rounded the year off with a second place podium in Valencia. In 2012 he scored one podium but suffered a few disappointments, despite being almost continuously with the leading group. A first Moto2 victory finally came his way in 2013, in the Czech Republic, and Kallio became a title contender as he pushed his colleague Tito Rabat hard in 2014. Over the course of the year Kallio notched up an impressive 10 podiums and 3 wins and he hopes to be just as competitive having moved to Italtrans Racing Team for 2015. Ahead of the Aragon GP, Kallio and Italtrans parted company and the Finn joined the QMMF team to help continued development on the Speed Up. This season, Kallio has been a Test Rider for the new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing effort. As the Austrian manufacturer prepares to line up full time on the MotoGP™ grid in 2017, Kallio will first ride as a wild card in the 2016 season finale in Valencia - the first race experience for the all-new RC16.
Rider Stats
Videos
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MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
What innovations are KTM testing in Jerez?
With 3 riders on the grid at the Circuit of Jerez Angel Nieto, KTM have the opportunity to test new technology for the 2019 season
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MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Tech Talk: KTM’s first day at school
How the KTM RC16 stacked up against the rest on day 1 in Valencia
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MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Mika Kallio to be KTM's MotoGP™ test rider
Finland’s Mika Kallio returns to KTM next season as test rider for the MotoGP™ project.
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MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio: "A really important result"
The Italtrans rider will start on the front row for the 2015 Indianapolis GP.
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MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio: "Finally we were on top of the timesheet"
The Italtrans Racing Team rider was the fastest in Moto2™ FP2 after a good start to the weekend.
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MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio: "It's important to get more laps"
Mika Kallio is convinced that they have found the way to improve the setting of the bike.
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MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio testing balance & weight distribution
Kallio has been experimenting with bike balance and weight distribution at the Jerez test and is satisfied with the progress they made in those areas.
-
MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio making the best of the bad weather
Kallio was hoping for sun and the chance to put in a lot of laps at Jerez, but like the rest of the pack he was met with tricky wet conditions on the day.
Rider Bio
Bike
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Date of birth
08/11/1982
Place of birth
Valkeakoski
Height
166 cm
Weight
58 kg
Rider Story
News
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Pedrosa and Kallio to continue as KTM test riders for 2021
Red Bull KTM have renewed contracts with the two former Grand Prix winners to form the backbone of their MotoGP™ testing team
By motogp.com -
Pedrosa and Kallio go testing in Jerez
The two Austrian factory test riders have been in Andalucia as 2021 preparations for the three-time 2020 MotoGP™ winners begin
By motogp.com -
Mika Kallio to replace Lecuona at the Portuguese Grand Prix
The Finn will replace the Spaniard for the final round of the season after the rookie tested positive for Covid-19 prior to Valencia
By motogp.com -
Johann Zarco replaced by Mika Kallio for rest of 2019 season
The Frenchman was due to leave Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at the end of the season but they have parted ways early
By motogp.com -
Kallio rides through the pain in post-GP test
A crash on the opening lap in Sunday’s Catalan GP left the Finn with pain in his ribs
By motogp.com -
Kallio's KTM "based on next year's model"
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing test rider takes on Jerez as he returns to competition - and they're looking ahead to 2019 already
By motogp.com -
Smith on KTM: “We’ve got some solutions here already”
After a few issues in Malaysia, the Brit says the Thai test has been fruitful for both him and test rider Mika Kallio
By motogp.com -
Year zero: KTM’s debut season in MotoGP™
From the back to the top ten, Q2, and some serious pace, it’s been quite a year for the Austrian factory after joining the grid
By motogp.com
Videos
-
MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
What innovations are KTM testing in Jerez?
With 3 riders on the grid at the Circuit of Jerez Angel Nieto, KTM have the opportunity to test new technology for the 2019 season
-
MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Tech Talk: KTM’s first day at school
How the KTM RC16 stacked up against the rest on day 1 in Valencia
-
MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Mika Kallio to be KTM's MotoGP™ test rider
Finland’s Mika Kallio returns to KTM next season as test rider for the MotoGP™ project.
-
MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio: "A really important result"
The Italtrans rider will start on the front row for the 2015 Indianapolis GP.
-
MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio: "Finally we were on top of the timesheet"
The Italtrans Racing Team rider was the fastest in Moto2™ FP2 after a good start to the weekend.
-
MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio: "It's important to get more laps"
Mika Kallio is convinced that they have found the way to improve the setting of the bike.
-
MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio testing balance & weight distribution
Kallio has been experimenting with bike balance and weight distribution at the Jerez test and is satisfied with the progress they made in those areas.
-
MotoGP™ VIDEOPASS
Kallio making the best of the bad weather
Kallio was hoping for sun and the chance to put in a lot of laps at Jerez, but like the rest of the pack he was met with tricky wet conditions on the day.