05.06.2016

Brad Binder fights back for courageous second in Moto3 of Catalunya

7th Rd. Moto3 2016 – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (ESP)

Brad Binder & Luis Salom Flag KTM RC250 GP Barcelona 2016 © Focus Pollution KTM Media Library

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Red Bull KTM Ajo rider and championship leader Brad Binder put in a heroic final lap at the Moto3 GP of Catalunya on Sunday to fight back to second place. The South African turned up the gas after having a very near miss in the last stages of the 22-lap race when he almost crash out after he was bumped by another rider. Binder went on to finish second behind Jorge Navarro of Spain while Italian Enea Bastianini was third.

Bastianini was followed across the finish line by the Sky Racing Team VR46 duo Romano Fenati and Nicolo Bulega on their KTM machines to give the Austrian brand three of the top five finishers. Fellow KTM riders Fabio Quartararo and Joan Mir finished 7-8.

Brad Binder, who had won the previous three races on his KTM RC250 GP, started on pole and got away fast to lead the race in the initial stages. Already with a reputation for his superb race tactics, he stayed firmly anchored in top group and was frequently in the lead. In the second half of the race it became clear that Navarro was going to be his main challenger for the win but it was the incident with KTM rider Argentina’s Gabriel Rodrigo that spoiled Binder’s chance of making it a Moto3 class record of four consecutive wins.

Speaking immediately after the race, Binder was philosophical about the outcome: “When I was sitting behind the group I knew I had battled in the first sector but in the last three I was a lot quicker. I don’t know where Rodrigo was trying to go, but I had the inside curve. But I am so, so lucky not to have crashed out. On the one hand I’m disappointed because I thought on the last three laps I was a lot stronger than the other guys. But at the end of the day I’m so happy to be on the podium because it definitely could have been a zero.”

Race incident aside, Binder lived up to his reputation as a ‘never give up’ rider who this season has also won after starting from the last position in the grid. He was particularly fast and very impressive in the final lap when he dived under both Bastianini and Fenati to finally secure his podium second. With it, he leaves Barcelona having conceded only five points in his impressive, 44-point lead in the championship.

It was an emotional weekend for the MotoGP paddock, and particularly for Binder after the fatal accident on Friday of his friend, the talented and popular Luis Salom. Binder’s Red Bull KTM Ajo team, in which the Spaniard had one of his best racing seasons in 2013, displayed a racing bike in the pit garage with Salom’s #39 and a tribute message that read: “You will always ride with us #39”.

Next Race: June 26, 2016 – TT Circuit Assen (NED)

Results Moto3 Catalunya 2016
1. Jorge Navarro (ESP), Honda, 42:18.228 min (22 laps)
2. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +0.564 sec
3. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Honda, +0.817
4. Romano Fenati (ITA), KTM, +0.925
5. Nicolo Bulega (ITA), KTM, +1.531
Other KTM
7. Fabio Quartararo (FRA), KTM, +13.605
8. Joan Mir (ESP), KTM, +13.672
11. Bo Bendsneyder (NED), KTM, +14.840
13. Juanfran Guevara (ESP), KTM, +32.006
17. Philipp Oettl, (GER), KTM, +36.384
18. Andrea Migno (ITA), KTM, +41.731
19. Andrea Locatelli (ITA), KTM, +42.985
DNF Davide Pizzoli (ITA), KTM, +1 lap
DNF Gabriel Rodrigo (ARG), KTM, +2 laps
DNF Maria Herrera (ESP), KTM, +20 laps

Standings Moto3 2016 after 7 of 18 rounds
1. Binder, 147 points
2. Navarro, 103
3. Fenati, 80
4. Bulega, 66
5. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA), Mahindra, 54
Other KTM
8. Mir, 42
10. Quartararo, 39
12. Locatelli, 30
15. Oettl, 27
16. Guevara, 25
18. Migno, 21
23. Bendsneyder, 7
24. Rodrigo, 6
28. Herrera, 2
29. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA), KTM, 1

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