Intense MotoGP™ Sprint battle for Binder at Assen 

MotoGP 2024 - Round 08 of 20, TT Circuit Assen – Qualification and Sprint


Brad Binder engages in a hectic and very watchable four-way fight for 4th position in the eighth Sprint of the season and the South African earns four points for 6th
13th for Jack Miller who sets off from the fifth row and has his own tight duel to the flag
Third row of the Moto3™ grid for Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda with the KTM RC4

 
The 75th Grand Prix at the historic TT Circuit Assen began under warm, wide Dutch skies in the north of the Netherlands and with a typically enthusiastic and busy crowd filling the grandstands and grass banks of the Drenthe venue. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were optimistic for the eighth round of the season while remembering Brad Binder’s near miss for podium glory in the 2023 Sprint and main Grand Prix race.
 
The South African was competitive through the first sessions on Friday to earn direct entry to Q2 on Saturday. Jack Miller had to plot a course via Q1 and with the lap-times within hundredths of a second around the flat, fast and weaving 18-corner layout, the Australian was unlucky to miss out by just 0.3 of a second on Saturday morning, meaning 14th on the grid. Brad’s lap attacks in Q2 resulted in 9th and the third row.
 
The Sprint rushed around a sun-kissed Assen in the afternoon. Binder was vying for the top five from the first stages and swapped asphalt with four other riders. Long Lap penalties and final lap crashes affected the final classification as Brad powered across the finish line in 6th and only a few tenths from the top five. Jack tried to make an impression from mid-pack. He won a tussle for 13th and with 13 full laps of data to make improvements for the full complement of 26 for Sunday.
 
Brad Binder, 9th in qualification, 6th in the Sprint: “This morning we tried for a bit of extra feeling. We don’t quite have the all-out pace of the front guys but I gave all I had and 9th was just OK. I had a good start in the Sprint and tried my best to get past the others but got stuck a little. We’ll keep working and see if we can find that extra step. It looks like we need to roll into the corner a bit more and get out quicker. A bit more extra grip on the rear would be the quick fix. Let’s see if we can work on it for tomorrow.”


 
Jack Miller, 14th in qualification, 13th in the Sprint: “I put together some decent laps in the Sprint and caught up to the boys in front of me but with about four to go they were still making a decent pace while I hit my limit. We need to find a bit more balance and try for some stability on the back straight as I’m losing free speed there. We have some ideas for tomorrow and we’ll keep plugging away. I enjoyed having my claws in the battle.”
 
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We were expecting to be a bit closer to the front but we have seen new lap records here and everybody has improved from 2023. We are close to finding some solutions for both Brad and Jack, and this means the race tomorrow gives us some hopes compared to another busy period of qualifying and the Sprint. Let’s see if we can come away with some improved speed and good feeling to then go directly to Sachsenring.”
 
Dutch TT photographs can be found HERE
 
Results Qualifying MotoGP Grand Prix of the Netherlands
 
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 1:30.540
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +0.081
3. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Aprilia +0.411
9. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.939
10. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +0.942
14. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:31.903 (Q1)
22. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 1.32.669 (Q1)
 
Results MotoGP Sprint Grand Prix of the Netherlands
 
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 19:58.090
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +2.355
3. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Aprilia +4.103
6. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +9.727
10. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +15.972
13. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +18.739
15. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +22.450


 
KTM GP Academy
 
The fast bends of the Assen layout were beneficial for Moto3 riders who were able to profit from an effective ‘tow’, and Red Bull KTM Ajo went into action with Jose Antonio Rueda and young rookie Xabi Zurutuza hoping to acquire some prime grid locations with their KTM RC4s. Unsurprisingly it was the comparative experience of Rueda that made the difference between the teammates as the slightly older Spaniard rode to the 7th quickest lap in Q2 on Saturday afternoon. Zurutuza was 21st and located on the seventh row for the 20 laps due to start at 11.00 CEST tomorrow.
 
Celestino Vietti rounded out the top ten of the Moto2™ leaderboard after Q2. The Italian guided his Red Bull KTM Ajo race bike to 10th and a lap 0.7 from Pole Position with the first five rows of the grid separated by one second. Deniz Öncü is recovering from surgery to his left hand after a training accident during the break. The Turk was replaced by Marcel Schrötter in Assen, with the German also set to deputize next week in Germany. The former Moto2 racer managed to qualify in 22nd after his first sessions for the team.


 
The seventh and eighth races of the 2024 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup were held at Assen and the first outing of the weekend was won by Brian Uriarte (for the second time this term) with Rico Salmela in 2nd and Valentin Perrone completing the top three on Saturday. Uriarte leads the championship standings.
 
Results Qualifying Moto3 Grand Prix of the Netherlands
 
1. Angel Piqueras (ESP) Honda 1:39.746
2. Taro Furusato (JPN) Honda +0.074
3. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +0.309
7. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.443
9. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO +0.538
12. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +0.646
13. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO +0.711
15. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +0.730
20. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS 1:41.063 (Q1)
21. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo 1:41.152 (Q1)
 
Results Qualifying Moto2 Grand Prix of the Netherlands
 
1. Fermin Aldeguer (ESP) 1:35.269
2. Ai Ogura (JPN) +0.230
3. Serio Garcia (ESP) +0.354
9. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO +0.714
10. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.777
11. Senna Agius (AUS)Husqvarna +0.861
15. Darryn Binder (RSA)Husqvarna +1.002
18. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO 1:36.237 (Q1)
22. Marcel Schrötter (GER) Red Bull KTM Ajo 1:36.655 (Q1)
 
PRESS CONTACT
 
Sarah Kinrade
PR Manager MotoGP
M: +43 676 7654200
E: Sarah.Kinrade@ktm.com