All Brad Binder wants to do, is race a bike. Picture: Red Bull KTM
While sprint races at motorsport’s highest level might not be everyone’s cup of tea, Brad Binder has called for more racing over MotoGP weekends.
Saturday sprint races were introduced to Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend for the first time in 2022. And while many purists are still not sold on additional racing event, the sprint races are limited to six per year.
MotoGP, on the other hand, last year introduced sprint races for the first time for every race weekend. These races are completed over half the Sunday main race’s distance and carry half the points of the main races.
“I think we should have three races every racing weekend. Their format doesn’t matter. But honestly, I think my competition would kill me for saying that,” Binder told the MotoGP podcast.
“To me, racing is racing. It’s all the best guys in the world going for a win, regardless whether it’s a shorter distance or not.
“You give your absolute best, everyone does. For me it doesn’t change too much, but you do get more points for Sundays so I prefer the Sunday ones.”
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The Red Bull KTM rider last year won two out of the first four sprint races. He finished the season fourth in the championship with more points earned in sprint than in main races.
“Lot’s of people are not so keen at having sprint every weekend. But I love going out and working on the bike and getting things better in testing and stuff, but over a race weekend I can’t wait to actually go racing. That’s what I enjoy,” Binder added.
“I don’t enjoy just spending laps because you can. I prefer to be fighting with other guys because that is what I enjoy.”
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Binder will be out to claw his way back into title contention at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. After going into the third event of the season second in the title race, he dropped down to sixth in Austin.
Jorge Martin leads the championship on 80 points followed by Enea Bastianini (59), Maverick Vinales (56), Pedro Acosta (54), Pecco Bagnaia (50) and Binder (49).
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The sprint race at Jerez takes place at 3pm on Saturday and the main race at 2pm on Sunday.
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