Binder vows to fight back after disappointing Assen TT

Despite a disappointing finish to the first half of the MotoGP season, Brad Binder is optimistic that KTM will continue making strides when racing resumes in August.

Binder’s 12th place finish at the Motul TT Assen Grand Prix in the Netherlands on Sunday might not be his best of the season, but he did manage to make up nine places after starting from 21.

Binder is in ninth place in the standings on 60 points. His team-mate Miguel Oliviera from Portugal, who finished fifth on Sunday, is lying seventh overall on 85 points. Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) leads the championship by a commanding 34 points over Spain’s Johan Zarco (Ducati).

“It was a difficult race for me. Starting in 21st and trying to pass the guys in the beginning, and then I clearly didn’t have the speed in the first stages of the race,” said Binder

“As the laps went down I started to improve my riding at different points on the track and went quicker. At the end I could match my quickest time on the last lap.

“I’m glad I made an improvement, but I lost too much time early on. It was an up-and-down weekend and I got a bit lost but I gave my all in the race. I was a bit disappointed with 12th but we’ll re-group and come back stronger in the next phase of the season.”

MotoGP enters a six-week summer break this week, with the season resuming with a double header at KTM’s home circuit the Red Bull Ring on the first two weekends of August.

“We have two riders in the top ten in the championship and Miguel has been one of the top points scorers from the last four races. We’ve made good progress and it’s a nice situation to be in when we next come together for two home GPs,” said Mike Leitner, Red Bull KTM Race Manager.

Brad’s younger brother Darryn Binder, riding for Petronas Sprinta Racing, is sixth in the Moto3 world standings on 69 points, 17 points adrift of third place.