Brad Binder lauded by KTM team boss for Austria MotoGP heroics

Red Bull KTM team manager Francesco Guidotti lauded Brad Binder after the South African secured a seventh-place finish at the Austria MotoGP on Sunday.

Binder, who started from 12th on the grid, finished just three tenths of a second behind Aleix Esparagaro at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, his team’s home circuit. It was the consistent Binder’s sixth top seven result in the first 13 races of the season.

The race was won by Francesco Bagnaia, who recorded his third straight win. He was followed across the line by world champion Fabio Quartararo in second and Jack Miller in third.

“Brad’s commitment was incredible today and he was able to catch and recover some positions after the start,” said Guidotti.

“He had the same pace as the front guys from mid-race distance and we need to check and analyse why we are missing time in the first section of the race.”

Binder earned nine points in Spielberg to move up to 107 points while hanging onto the seventh place in the MotoGP riders’ championship. Quartararo (200), Espargaro (168) and Bagnaia (156) are at the top of the standings.

ALSO READ: Bagnaia takes third consecutive MotoGP win in Austria as Binder finishes seventh

“I was really happy with everything that was working and the bike was great, but we were just missing a bit of competitiveness today,” Binder told his team’s webiste.

“I had some front vibration in the last five laps and it almost ruined my race because I was afraid that something was going to happen so at the end of the day I’m grateful to make it home.”

Brad Binder’s younger brother Darryn Binder had a less successful day at the office after crashing out, the third time he has failed to finish in four races. The Yamaha rider did have time for some heroics as he worked his way from 21st on the grid to 13th before disaster struck.

“I had an amazing start and I really felt like I had quite a good pace. I was running amongst the points and feeling good,” the Yahama man was quoted on his team’s website.

“Unfortunately, in the place that I least expected it, I lost the front in corner nine. I’m really disappointed to end the weekend like this as it has been such a good weekend and I was getting stronger in each session.”

Darryn Binder is in 22nd place in the standings with 10 points in his rookie MotoGP season.

The next race is on 4 September in San Marino.

To see the full 2022 MotoGP calendar, click here.