Strong 4th place performance from Binder as MotoGP™ moves MotorLand

MotoGP 2024 - Round 12 of 20, MotorLand Aragon – Race


13 world championship points for Brad Binder who follows up his 6th from the Saturday Sprint with a run to the top four at a slick Aragon Grand Prix
15th for Jack Miller who tries to maximize his traction potential but ultimately crosses the finish line to bank one point. Jack was 10th on track but had his result altered post-race
Moto3™ plaudits for Jose Antonio Rueda with a fantastic first victory with the KTM RC4 while Deniz Öncü earns Moto2™ distinction for Red Bull KTM Ajo with his maiden podium result in P3

 
MotorLand Aragon continued to throw curveballs at the MotoGP field for a challenging twelfth round of the season. After hot and slick conditions on Saturday (due to Friday night rain) a thundery and stormy climate create wet and unpredictable grip on Sunday morning. Brad Binder and Jack Miller were able to use the brief 10-minute warm-up session to try settings for the damp (and Miller was 2nd fastest) but by the time Moto3 and Moto2 had warmed-up the crowd the track had dried and provided a narrow, clean principal racing line.
 
Binder had some wheelspin from 7th and a greasy section of the grid, and Miller worked to get the best jump from 15th place. Brad made some moves and ended up behind Pecco Bagnaia and then Pedro Acosta. A collision between two riders ahead allowed the Spaniard and the South African to rise two spots in the ranking with five laps remaining and Binder nursed his tires to the flag. Miler established a rhythm a little further back in the top ten and was unlucky to lose 9th place on the last lap. Jack’s traction had evaporated entering the back straight and he was demoted to 10th by just half a second. After the race his tire pressure was found to be under the permitted limit and he was demoted to 15th.


 
The flat Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli will host the next two rounds of 2024 MotoGP. The Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini stages the thirteenth fixture next weekend and is immediately followed by the last one-day IRTA test of the season.
 
Brad Binder, 4th: “A really tricky race. I needed a good start but I spun off the line again and all the way to Turn 1. I managed to pick my way through and pass a few guys. It was difficult not to make mistakes because the front tire was cooking until the end of the race. I tried my best to get Pedro but there was nothing left from the rear! We tried something different with the balance of the bike this weekend and it seemed to work over the distance. I think we have made a small step and we’ll try again next week.”
 
Jack Miller, 15th: “Long old race. Different track conditions again and I tried my best. Hard to handle the rear tire but I got into my rhythm. There were quite a few limitations but I was able to bring it home. A decent weekend because we showed signs of pace throughout. No mistakes in the race but I struggled to go with the boys in front of me. We’ll keep plugging away. I felt we could have had a bit more today: I just got nipped by Rins on the back straight and I was doing all I could to hold onto 9th! But I didn’t get the drive and it wasn’t to be. We’ll come back again in Misano.”
 
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Difficult weekend but in the end we’re pretty happy with a solid result and Jack also making the top ten on track. It was tricky because there were always different conditions or circumstances but we were able to manage it. Steady results and we now go to Misano also looking to the test afterwards and Pol’s [Espargaro] wildcard which will give us some help for the future.”
 
Aragon Grand Prix photographs can be found HERE
 
Results MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix
 
1. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati 41:47.082
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +4.789
3. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS +14.904
4. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +16.459
12. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS +42.083
15. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +39.966
 
World Championship standings MotoGP
 
1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati, 299 points
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 276
3. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati, 229
5. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS, 148
6. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 145
14. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 48
17. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS, 20


 
KTM GP Academy
 
Jose Antonio Rueda had been vying for P1 in virtually every session of Moto3 at his home Grand Prix and stretched his competitiveness into Q2 where he secured 2nd on the grid and a promising front row slot. Moto3 buzzed around MotorLand for 17-laps on Sunday and at a modest pace as the track dried in the late morning sunshine. Rueda kept in the fight for the podium as the pack broke-up in the first half of the race and then lowered his pace thanks to the hard tire choice and surged forwards into the lead. Chasing his fourth career trophy, the 18-year-old also sensed a maiden victory and grabbed the flag by almost two seconds. The win was also the first for Red Bull KTM Ajo this term. Xabi Zurutuza was keen and fast inside the top ten and his 8th position was a personal best so far for the young rookie.


 
Jose Antonio Rueda: “This is so special. I want to say thanks to my team and everybody who supported me. I cannot be happier. This is incredible.”
 
Moto2 saw both Celestino Vietti and Deniz Öncü in fast form during qualification with the Turk earning a personal best 4th place on the grid in his rookie season in the class and the Italian not far behind in 9th. The race lasted for 19 laps and while Cele was unlucky to be hit off the track in Turn 16 and dropped away from the fight for the top five (he would push back to 10th) Deniz motored forward and, two weeks, after his best finish of the year in 11th in Austria sealed a brilliant P3 for his maiden trophy in the category, ensuring both Red Bull KTM Ajo riders have now crested the podium in 2024.
 
Deniz Öncü: “Really nice to be here back near the top. Been a long and hard season so far with the injures but we are coming. I’m so happy for my team because they have helped and pushed me so much. I will be even happier when I win my first race!”
 
The twelfth outing of 2024 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup slipped around MotorLand on Sunday morning with Saturday’s race winner and championship leader Alvaro Carpe looking to do the double. The Spaniard actually classified 16th on home soil after an early crash and it was Malaysian Hakim Danish who excelled in the wet and grasped the checkered flag. Carpe has a 13-point cushion in the standings over Brian Uriarte with just one round (two legs) to go this year. The series will be decided next weekend in Misano.
 
Results Moto3 Aragon Grand Prix
 
1. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo 34:51.635
2. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +1.985
3. Luca Lunetta (ITA) Honda +3.556
4. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO +4.942
8. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +17.029
9. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +17.165
14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +23.532
15. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO +23.594
21. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +51.593
 
World Championship standings Moto3
 
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 237 points
2. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 162
3. Ivan Ortola (ESP) KTM, 157
4. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, 156
6. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 99 
14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 50
15. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS, 46
16. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 42
21. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 11
 
Results Moto2 Aragon Grand Prix
 
1. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO 35:54.402
2. Tony Arbolino (ITA) +1.779
3. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +5.479
9. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna +19.757
10. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo +21.301
16. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna +30.080
DNF. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO
 
World Championship standings Moto2
 
1. Sergio Garcia (ESP), 162 points
2. Ai Ogura (JPN), 150
3. Alonso Lopez (ESP), 133
5. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO, 119
7. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 102
15. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, 33
16. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 32
17. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 27 
19. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO, 25
 
PRESS CONTACT
 
Sarah Kinrade
PR Manager MotoGP
M: +43 676 7654200
E: Sarah.Kinrade@ktm.com