7th position for Brad Binder through Misano MotoGP™ Sprint

MotoGP 2024 - Round 13 of 20, Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli – Qualification and Sprint


P7 for Binder who fights for the top five after launching from the second row of the grid and through an intense 13-lap Sprint at Misano
Miller rides strongly on Friday to make Q2 directly and then secures the 12th best lap. The Australian works his way to 8th by the flag
14th for Pol Espargaro in his third wildcard appearance of 2024 and with the latest development spec of the KTM RC16 and the technology the racers will test on Monday
Jose Antonio Rueda qualifies 0.7 from Pole in Moto3™ while Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Celestino Vietti makes 2nd place on the grid in Moto2™ at his home event

 
Misano welcomed Grand Prix for the thirtieth time and since the first FIM world championship meeting around the flat, 4.2km coastal venue 44 years ago. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were looking to build on their decent form from the Aragon GP in Spain the previous weekend but around a markedly different circuit with the high grip conditions and mix of tight sections and fast zones.
 
Both Brad Binder and Jack Miller were on the pace through Friday. Jack swept into Q2 thanks to the 10th fastest time in Practice while Brad was unlucky to be nudged to 11th in the last few seconds of the one-hour session. Binder had to refocus for Q1 and was only half a second from the all-time lap record to make it into Q2. In the 15-minute dash Miller was just 0.8 from Pole and it was enough for P12 while Brad carried his momentum onwards and ranked a decent 6th, 0.4 from the best effort for the last slot on the second row.
 
The Sprint got underway Saturday afternoon. Brad made a positive launch and was running in P4 in the formative laps. He then fought all the way to the line to defend his position from Jack who had roamed forwards and occupied 8th, less than a second behind his teammate. Three RC16s filled the top ten and Pol put aside the bad luck of a small crash in qualifying at Turn 8 to finish 14th.


 
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will reset for 27-laps at 14.00 CEST on Sunday.
 
Brad Binder, 6th in qualification, 7th in the Sprint: “I knew today would be a long day. It was great to get through Q1 and we had a decent qualifying and nice to be on the second row. I knew if I had a good jump behind the guys I could get pulled along but unfortunately I just didn’t have the pace today. I was struggling with the front end and I felt like I was not carrying the corner speed. It’s clear what direction we need to go in for tomorrow so I’m confident for the race.”
 
Jack Miller, 12th in qualification, 8th in the Sprint: “I made up some positions and got in the rhythm with Brad and Pedro there but when I changed a mapping I had a ‘moment’ that put me a bit wide. After that I tried to control the front locks and find the pace again. I enjoyed the Sprint and made no mistakes. I could push the whole way through. I didn’t feel bad at all today.
 
Pol Espargaro, 15th in qualification, 14th in the Sprint: “Frustrated a bit. We had good speed but a small problem with a used front tire put us in a difficult situation and the grid place didn’t help. In the race I could not release the start device until the fourth corner and almost collided with another rider. I was trying a lot to overtake other riders then and I was not getting creative enough. But we brought information back to the box and this was the objective today.”
 
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “A good qualifying for Brad and Jack. Starting from the second row was a good place to start but Brad didn’t have the right feeling from the beginning, the front mainly, while Jack had a super good start and was smart to recover some positions and then hold it until the end. Overall, we can’t be that happy but we have a platform to build the strategy for the race tomorrow.”
 
San Marino Grand Prix photographs can be found HERE
 
Results Qualifying MotoGP San Marino Grand Prix 
 
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 1:30.304
2. Franco Morbidelli (ITA) Ducati +0.285
3. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati +0.305
5. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +0.352
6. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.444
12. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.898
15. Pol Espargaro (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:31.471 (Q1)
17. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 1:31.538 (Q1)
 
Results MotoGP Sprint San Marino Grand Prix 
 
1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati 19:56.502
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati +1.495
3. Franco Morbidelli (ITA) Ducati +1.832
6. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +6.796
7. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +9.979
8. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +10.726
14. Pol Espargaro (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +21.542
16. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +23.442
 

 
KTM GP Academy
 
Many eyes were on Jose Antonio Rueda after his breakthrough success at MotorLand six days previously and midway through only his second Moto3 campaign. The Spanish youngster has been showing good speed all season but has put together fitness, form and confidence to hit a higher peak of performance. In Misano he ended Friday in P2. Through Saturday Rueda maintained his competitiveness and then charged into Q2 to take 12th but was only 0.7 of second from Pole. Teammate Xabi Zurutuza continues to learn about the pace, racecraft and demands of Moto3. The teenager was 22nd in the final grid rundown and after his first qualification blast at Misano.
 
The Moto2 wing of Red Bull KTM Ajo has been chiming at high speed and potential in recent Grands Prix. Celestino Vietti has already won under Aki Ajo’s guidance and Deniz Öncü rode brilliantly in Aragon last week to make the breakthrough to the podium in his maiden season. In Misano Vietti looked comfortable and explored opportunities for the front row of the grid at a circuit where he has completed a lot of training laps. He ended Saturday 0.01 from Pole Position and in P2. Öncü tried to find his bearings around the high grip course and took a creditable 13th.


 
The final outing of the season the 2024 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup saw Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriate in a dispute for the championship. The two Spaniards were part of the leading pack around Misano for the first of two races on Saturday. It was Uriarte who swept past the finish line first by 0.2 from Valentin Perrone. Carpe was 7th. The final outing is set for Sunday morning where the new #1 will be crowned.
 
Results Qualifying Moto3 San Marino Grand Prix
 
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 1:40.505
2. Luca Lunetta (ITA) Honda +0.417
3. Ivan Ortola (ESP), KTM +0.435
5. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +0.454
7. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +0.523
12. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), KTM +0.788
17. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +0.885
22. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM 1:42.243 (Q1)
23. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna 1:42.274 (Q1)
24. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO +1:42.692 (Q1)
 
Results Qualifying Moto2 San Marino Grand Prix 
 
1. Tony Arbolino (ITA) 1:35.229
2. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.011
3. Ai Ogura (JPN) +0.190
13. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.738
14. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO +0.770
16. Senna Agius (AUS)Husqvarna +0.844
25. Darryn Binder (RSA)Husqvarna 1:36.176 (Q1)
26. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO 1:36.388 (Q1)
 
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