KTM's plans to gain conclusive MotoGP race data with♉ its 2019 machine have been thwarted by Mika Kallio's season-end▨ing knee injury at Sachsenring.

But while the 'proof' is lacking, KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer insists the big design decisions had already been made, whi♎le Bradley Smith is now testing some remaining parts during grands prix weekends.

Five wild-cards had been planned for Kallio this season, to refine and then confirm the substantial changes made for next ye💟ar's RC16, before handing the bike over to new signing Johann🌜 Zarco and Pol Espargaro for the start of winter testing.

But Kallio only rode in two events - Jerez and Catalunya - before his German injury, completing a race distance at the first outi꧃ng in Jerez, when he promiওsingly finished as the top KTM.&nb♏sp;

The remaining wild-cards 🤡were planned for last weekend's Austrian round and at next month's Aragon even🦹t, by which time KTM hoped to have put three race-distances of data on the 2019 machine.

"The plan was messed upꦰ," said Beirer. "I think the [2019] bike is pretty 🔯good and competitive, but we were not super lucky.

"In Barcelona Mika was on a strange set-up on Friday and Saturday then had a really good set-up for Sunday, with a great warm-up. So we expected a lot in the race, to see w♎here the [new] bike really is… First lap he crashed.

"Then we wer﷽e all hoping at Sachsenring to see what the [new] bike does in the race and he was not there."

The team's situation worsened when Espar𝓀garo was injured next time at Brno. However, despite losing his seat to Zarco, Smith then agreed to test what parts he could for KTM.

A new engine is definitely one of the changes for the 2019 bike, and widely assumed to ♒feature a counter-rotating crankshaft.

But Beirer said the full version of the 2019 'Kallio' bike won't be given to Smith and Espargaro this season for 'homologation' reasons. This has caused some head-scratching, since - as a concession manufacturer - KTM is able to freely change itsಌ engine and chassis design during the season. So it is presumably something outside of those areas.

"Due to homologation this [2019] bike is not allowed to be used by our racers. You will not see next year's bike this year in the races, because only the wild-card guy could use it," said Beirer, refusing to sಞtate whi🐻ch of the 2019 parts he was referring to:

"There are some things that are homologated and a wild-card or test rider could use different things, of course within the rules. But then [there are] unhomol✨ogated parts. Bec꧒ause some things you can only homologate and that's it and you cannot change any more.

"So we could test wit🅰h him [Kallio] different things to the race gu🌠ys.

"So the bike we actually want to see now on the race track, we will not see at the moment. And now we don't have a test rider, so we don't see it even at home! So it's not an easy situation," added Beirer, speaking before KTM announced anꦯ ag෴reement for Randy de Puniet to take over Kallio's testing duties until he recovers.

But there are currently no confirmed plans for the Frenchman to take on Kallio's remaining wild-cards, meaning: "Now we need to go testing with our race guys, to make♉ sure thiཧs is the bike for next year. "

The MotoGP engine list shows Smith received two new ('Kallio-spec') engines for practice and qualifying at Brno, but reverted to the standard design for the race after technical issues. The Englishman remained on the standard engines to help ensure a trouble-free home event, as KTM's lone rider in Austria, but hopes to be 1ℱ68澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:back on the new engines next time at Sil𓃲verstone.

"There are still many other things th﷽at we want to try and, like in Brno, we said to Bradley, 'we still have to take some decisions on some parts in 2019. Are you open to test them?' And he said 'yes'."

'The 2019 bike is ready'

Despite the double injury blow and previous accidents preventing the 2019 prototype getting a MotoGP race run, Beirer said the big design decisions have alreadཧy been made.

"We don't have proof of a race result for where that bike is, but what we think is good, what Mika liked, we had on the bike. So the bike is ready," he 🐲said. "But we will not have it confirmed three times by three good races.

"Pretty m💜uch the decision is clear about how the bike will look in November.

ꦿ"If you don’t do it now, you will not have parts [ready] in November. So there is a c♏ertain risk and we really wanted to double or triple check but that's not possible now. So there is no security on that, but it will not set us back as far as how the bike will look."

'We don’t want Zarco to test ten different bikes'

The November post-season test at Valencia will not only mark the official start of 2019 preparations, but also the much-anticipated RC16 debut for new signing Zaಞrco.

The Frenchman has so far c🃏laimed five podiums and four pole position since joining the premier-class with Tech3 Yamaha and KTM has made clear they believe he will help take their MotoGP project to the next level.

Much of the early groundwork by Kallio with the 201𒈔9 machine has been ai꧑med at getting a settled technical package in place for Zarco's arrival.

"These last two years have been really wild if you compare us to anotꦰher MotoGP team. Parts are flying, flying out. Trucks are full of part," Beirer said. "So even if we need to do more now - once Tech3 is coming on board, and Johann - we want to be more quiet.

"So we really wan꧅t to go throug🔯h the crazy things now and have real stability when he is coming.

"For sure 🤡we don’t want him to test ten different bike concepts in November. The target is to give him a b꧅ike and say, 'now you ride and let's work on normal [set-up] things' to adapt to his riding style.

"That's a big target. That's also why Mike [Leitner, team manager] was so good and so strong wit🌼h us, always warning, 'Hey, next season starts in November and we need to start eꦬarly, to have many new bikes and parts ready'."

As a result of the injuries to Kallio and Espargaro, KTM has decided to hire two test riders for the 201🅠9 season, with Smith, Dani Pedr♎osa and Jonas Folger in contention.