Binder and KTM search for ‘strong point’ in race against Ducati

Brad Binder hopes to bounce back at the Indonesia MotoGP this weekend after his Red Bull KTM team hit rock bottom in Misano last weekend.

It was a Sunday to forget for the Austrian manufacturer after Binder finished in 19th after crashing out from fourth with his team-mate Jack Miller recording a 16th place. Both KTM satellite riders, Augusto Fernandez and Pedro Acosta, also finish outside the points which meant KTM failed to earn a point in the main race of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Acosta, Binder’s 2025 factory KTM team-mate, managed to qualify on the second row alongside Binder at Misano, but also crashed out early on.

Brad Binder explains crashes

“It’s clear we are all trying really hard and sometimes sh*t happen. You can lose the front. For sure we have crashed way more this year than last year so we need to figure that out,” Binder said according to online motorsports portal crash.net.

“We need that little bit extra and when you’re trying to keep up with the guys in front, even though all weekend you haven’t, it’s sometimes easy to go a little bit over the limit.”

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While Binder managed to stay fifth in the MotoGP title race on 165 points, the gap between him and the high-flying Ducati quartet of Jorge Martin (341), Pecco Bagnaia (317), Enea Bastianini (282) and Marc Marquez (281) shows the gulf in performance by the two manufacturers.

KTM lacks ‘strong point’

After starting the season with much promise with two second place finishes in Qatar, Binder says that his RC16 has lost its competitive edge. The KTM man also doesn’t boast a fantastic record at the 4.3km Pertamina Mandalika circuit, where he has not finished higher than sixth in the premier class.

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“We used to be able to kind of roll a lot more mid corner speed. Brake, come off the brake and throw it in. And that was our point where we could always catch up,” the 2016 Moto3 world champion said.

“But this year the others have improved that area, so we haven’t got that strong point anymore.”

Both the sprint race on Saturday and main race on Sunday starts at 9am.