Binder hopeful KTM can ‘put things together’ after MotoGP test

Brad Binder is confident that his Red Bull KTM team gained some valuable insights during Monday’s official MotoGP test at Jerez.

The RC16 could not match the Ducati brigade for pace during the Spanish Grand Prix at the same track at the weekend. On Monday, Binder managed to post the sixth best lap time, only 0.234 seconds slower than the best time recorded by Fabio Di Giannantonio on Ducati.

Brad Binder puts in the work

“We had some aero packages to go through to collect some information and keep pushing that side of the project,” said Binder after clocking 64 laps.

“A little bit with set-up and a different setting for the rear shock that made the bike a bit more stable, which is always great especially at a track like this with the change of direction.”

The Red Bull KTM man slipped from sixth to seventh in the MotoGP world championship rankings at the weekend. But he is upbeat over the improvements his team can implement before next weekend’s French Grand Prix.

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Putting things together

“We focused on things we can use moving forward next week. With aero you can win in some areas and lose in others so it’s important to take the comments and the data and work on the benefits.

“Now we can leave here and put things together,” he added.

Sebastian Risse, Red Bull KTM technical manager was chuffed by Monday’s outcome. Between Binder, his teammate Jack Miller, test rider Pol Espargaro and KTM Tech3 pair Pedro Acosta and Augusto Fernandez, the RC16 clocked 345 laps around Jerez on Monday.

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Many updates to come

“We focused a lot on updates that we can still bring this year, which means the impending aero update but also other items. Like electronics, engine parts for even more performance and also suspension,” said Risse.

“We shared the test items around the group. So when we found something positive we could carry it over to the others to confirm.

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“It means we have a complete picture for the items’ performance across the riders and we’re quite positive it will have some effect in the next races.”

There are two more official testing sessions this year, at Mugello in June and at Misano in September.