‘Radical’ Brad Binder saves face for KTM at French MotoGP

A gutsy ride by Brad Binder salvaged some pride for the Red Bull KTM MotoGP team at Le Mans on Sunday.

After starting from 18th on the grid, Binder finished in a very credible eight place. What made the ride even more remarkable was the fact that he had to work extra hard on an unstable bike after his KTM RC16 lost its left aerodynamic wing after contact with Johann Zarco on only the second of 27 laps.

Italian Enea Bastianini on a Ducati recorded his third win in the first seven races of the MotoGP season.

ALSO READ: Bastianini wins French MotoGP for third victory of the season

“It was an incredibly tough weekend for us,” Binder told his team’s website.

“I lost my left wing early and after that life was tricky! The bike was super-unstable and I had to fight like hell.

“It was physically draining and took a lot more focus than usual to do the same job. Thanks to my team. They worked extremely hard and we did the best job we could,” Binder added.

The eight points Binder earned were enough to keep him eighth place in the MotoGP world championship standings on 56 points. He trails 2021 champion and current leader Fabio Quartararo by 46 points.

Binder’s team-mate Miguel Oliveira, who was behind the South African in ninth place, crashed out with just three laps to go. Oliveira’s retirement meant that three of the four KTM factory riders failed to finish the race. Both the Tech3 KTM team riders, Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez, also failed to finish at Le Mans.

Gardner, the 2021 Moto2 champion, voiced his frustrations with his machine earlier on the weekend. The rear wheel lifting off the ground during braking is a well-document issue with the KTMs.

“We need some help. Because we’re all struggling. It is not just me. It’s me, Raul and Miguel,” Gardner was quoted by Crash.

“Brad’s kind of the only one that can put something together, [he’s got] quite a radical style and can manage to do it.”

Things also did not go well at the French Grand Prix for Yamaha, for which the younger Binder brother Darryn rides. Apart from Quartararo’s fourth place, his Monster Energy Yamaha team-mate Franco Morbidelli and WithU Yamaha RNF pair Andrea Dovizioso and Darryn Binder were the last three riders to cross the finish line in 15, 16 and 17th place respectively.

The next MotoGP race is at Mugello on 29 May.