Brad Binder's next assignment is the British MotoGP in August. Picture: Red Bull KTM
If Brad Binder to have any chance of improving on his seventh position in the MotoGP title, Red Bull KTM will have their work cut out for them in the four-week summer break.
Try as he may at the German Grand Prix at the Sachenring at the weekend, Binder could only finish eighth in the sprint race and ninth in the main race after starting from 11th on the grid.
Between Binder, his factory team-mate Jack Miller and satellite team Tech riders Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernandez, KTM could only score 21 points in total in Germany. This is a far cry from the season-opening Qatar MotoGP where Binder took away 29 points on his own.
The South African star was left scratching his head on Sunday. To add insult to injury, he lost two places on the last few corners after starting the last lap in seventh place. Binder crossed the line more than 15 seconds off race winner Pecco Bagnaia’s pace.
“We clearly need to find more because the guys in front were in a league of their own. We got some valuable information to find a bit more speed and to keep the pace all the way through the race,” the 2016 Moto3 world champion told the KTM website.
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“On the last lap I lost the front down Turn 11 and lost two positions. Not ideal. I know what I am capable of and where we can be. We will keep fighting as hard as we can every session.”
The great divide between the high-flying Ducati and the rest was on display at the Sachenring when Bagnaia led a band of five Ducatis across the finish line. It could have six had Jorge Martin not crash out after leading late in the race to concede the title race lead to the world champion.
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The leading four, Bagnaia (222), Martin (212), Marc Marquez (166) and Enea Bastianini (155), are all on Ducatis. Behind them are Maverick Vinales (122) on an Aprillia and KTM pair Acosta (110) and Binder (108).
“We thought we’d be in the leading group and it wasn’t to be,” said Red Bull KTM team manager Francesco Guidotti.
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“We lost too much time but looking ahead we have homework to do and we’ll be testing with Pol [Espargaro] next week. We want to be ready for Silverstone.”
Brad Binder’s brother Darryn Binder failed to score points in Germany after suffering a crash in the Moto2 race. The Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP rider is 24th in the championship on six points.
The MotoGP season resumes at the British Grand Prix from 2 to 4 August, the 10th event of the 20-race season.
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