Brad Binder's Red Bull KTM team has work to do. Picture: Red Bull KTM
If Red Bull KTM does not find a way to close the gap on Ducati, Brad Binder will be feeding of scraps for the rest of the MotoGP season.
The Red Bull man was fortunate to finish the main race of the Dutch GP at Assen TT in sixth place on Sunday. After riding a lonely race in eight place, seventh-placed Tech3 rider Pedro Costa crashed out late, while fourth-placed Marc Marquez was demoted to 10th after the race for a tyre pressure infringement.
But the reality is that even with Marquez moving down, the first four bikes to cross the line was Ducatis. And Binder finished more than 16 seconds behind race winner Pecco Bagnaia.
“I would have liked to have walked away with a better result but I left nothing on the table. We have some work to do,” Binder told the KTM website after the race.
“My feeling is not terrible. I understand the front limit and I didn’t crash at all this weekend. We just need to find more speed.”
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The 14 points Binder earned for finishing both the sprint and main races in sixth saw him move up to 99 points in the MotoGP title race. He is now just two points behind sixth-placed Acosta (101).
At the top, Bagnaia (190) further closed the gap to Jorge Martin (200). Marc Marquez (142) is third, followed by Enea Bastianini (136) and Maverick Vinales (118). Aprilia’s Vinales is the first non-Ducati rider in the standings, and even he is all of 82 points behind Martin.
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KTM will have to find answers fast as they head to straight from the Netherlands to the Sachenring for the German Grand Prix this weekend.
“We have some homework to do,” admitted Red Bull KTM team manager Francesco Guidotti.
“Our expectation was a bit higher but he struggled to run the pace of the front group. We have some useful information and we have to work very hard in the next days. Let’s try for more in Germany next weekend.”
Brad Binder’s younger brother Darryn Binder was in the points again at the Assen TT circuit, finishing the Moto2 race in 15th place. The Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP rider is 24th in the championship on six points.
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