Brad Binder was declared fit after crashing out of the German MotoGP on Sunday. Picture: AFP
Red Bull KTM rued Brad Binder’s crash in the German MotoGP as it cost them a possible podium place on Sunday.
Binder crashed out on the 13th lap at the Sachsenring while lying in third place behind Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia. He got up off the gravel looking very wobbly on his feet, but declared fit after a medical check-up.
“He is fine and will be ready for the next race but it was a shame he could not get his podium,” Red Bull KTM team manager Francesco Guidotti told the KTM website.
“A shame today. Brad said the bike was working better for him today compared to yesterday and he had a better feeling.”
With only four points to show for his sixth place in Saturday’s sprint race, Binder’s title race aspirations took a beating in Germany. He dropped down to fifth in the championship and now trails leader Bagnaia (160) by 64 points.
His KTM team-mate Jack Miller, who led the race initially from third on the grid, could only manage a sixth place.
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Binder made good start from eighth on the grid in the main race on Sunday, working his way up third. He did not have the pace to catch runaway leaders Martin and Bagnaia, but was holding off Johan Zarco.
“I could not run the pace of the first two guys but I was set in third,” said Binder.
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“Unfortunately, when I grabbed the front brake at the bottom of the hill I locked the front wheel a little bit and my left foot slipped off the footpeg. I was then going wide and off the track. I kept the lean angle but when I came to pick it up, the rear let go on me and I ended up crashing.
“Disappointing because I know I could have at least fought for a podium and the team deserved it. Let’s give it a go next week.”
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The MotoGP triple-header concludes at the TT Assen in the Netherlands on Saturday and Sunday. It is eighth stop on the 20-race calendar.
“Onto Assen now and the last race of this triple-header. We gathered more good information this weekend but we just feel a bit bad for Brad that he missed the podium,” concluded Guidotti.
