16.11.2024

Binder races to top nine through MotoGP™ Solidarity Barcelona Sprint

MotoGP 2024 - Round 20 of 20, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – Qualification and Sprint

Brad Binder KTM MotoGP 2024 Barcelona Saturday © KTM Images/Polarity Photo

This press release has: 14 Images

The final 2024 fixture of MotoGP circulated the cool climes of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the second time this season as the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona replaced the cancelled Valencian round and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing sped into action for the last time this year. Brad Binder steered the KTM RC16 to a decent comeback with 9th while Jack Miller rode to 19th.

Binder makes a nine-position gain to score the final Sprint point of the season in Barcelona
Miller crosses the line in 19th after starting from the same grid slot
Celestino Vietti to surge from 8th on the Moto2™grid as Jose Antonio Rueda occupies 17th for the last Moto3™ of the season tomorrow

Catalan sunshine helped raise late autumn temperatures at the Barcelona race circuit. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing confronted the Solidarity GP of Barcelona knowing that tire choice and managing tire wear would be key to peak performance for the 12-lap Sprint. On Friday Brad Binder and Jack Miller ranked 11th and 12th after Practice, both missing out on Q2 by two hundredths of a second. Jack was 0.001 of a second behind Brad!

Saturday’s qualifying dash was an exercise in the search for grip. The teammates remained locked together as Binder was 18th on the grid and Miller 19th. The Sprint saw Brad make the brighter start from the sixth row and was in contention for the top ten by mid-race distance. He moved through to 9th in the closing stages and amidst a chaotic scrap in the third group. Miller was also making ground but then struggled with usable traction and rode home in 19th.

MotoGP gets fast for 24-laps from 14.00 CET on Sunday.

Brad Binder, 18th in qualification, 9th in the Sprint: “A day of two halves. Qualifying was tough and I just couldn’t get a lap together. I got a decent start today and pushed up to 9th which was OK but I wanted a lot more here at the last GP. It was difficult to manage the front and I knew it would be tough from 18th but my KTM is a rocket off the line and my team did a great job to get us in the best position possible.”

Jack Miller, 19th in qualification, 19th in the Sprint: “Difficult race. I was spinning everywhere with the medium option. Not ideal and I battled until the end with whoever I could but my pace was off. My front end felt good but I couldn’t get anything from the rear. We’ll analyze it tonight and try to understand for more tomorrow.”

Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We got stuck in Q1 for the last Saturday of the season and we paid the bill for missing out on Friday by fractions of a second. Starting from those positions was not so easy to make the points but Brad did it. He had good pace and it could have been even better if he’d started further forward. Let’s see for tomorrow. The longer race might bring some more rewards and positions. Jack had an issue from the beginning and could not go forward. It was difficult for him to find the front feeling and he just focused on bringing the bike home.”

Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona photographs can be found HERE

Results Qualifying MotoGP Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona

1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 1:38.641

2. Aleix Espargaro (ESP) Aprilia +0.055

3. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati +0.157

6. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS +0.308

18. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:39.678 (Q1)

19. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:39.749 (Q1)

21. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS 1:40.166 (Q1)

Results MotoGP Sprint Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona

1. Francesco Bagnaia (ESP) Ducati 20:03.173

2. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Ducati +0.942

3. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +1.270

9. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +5.573

19. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +18.533

20. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS +20.153

DNF. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS

KTM GP Academy

Moto3 rushed both Jose Antonio Rueda and Xabi Zurutuza up to speed on Friday and Saturday and with rookie Alvaro Carpe making his debut in the category. Rueda and Zurutuza were closing their second and first seasons in the class respectively in Catalunya. Rueda, in particular, had good reason to remember the Montmelo curves fondly: the circuit was the site of his maiden Grand Prix podium finish in 2023. On Friday Jose Antonio was 7th quickest with the KTM RC4 and only 0.3 from provisional pole position. Zurutuza was 23rd. Qualification took place in brighter conditions on Saturday and Rueda’s Q2 sessions ended with #99 in 17th. Zurutuza improved his lap-times and was 24th as Carpe impressed by taking the 19th best lap. Moto3 will bury the needle at 11.00 CET and for the last, furious 18-lap contest of the year.

In Moto2 Celestino Vietti aimed to extend his peerless form from the Malaysian Grand Prix two weeks ago to vie for the first two rows of the grid. The Italian set some decent markers on Friday and through Practice 1 when 23 riders were separated by 1.5 seconds and Vietti was 5th in the list. At the moment of truth in Q2 on Saturday ‘Cele’s speed carried him to 8th and the third row. Teammate Deniz Öncü, who is at the end of his rookie season, in the intermediate category, was 20th fastest. The Moto2 race will last for 21 laps on Sunday.

Results Qualifying Moto3 Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona

1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 1:45.905

2. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +0.347

3. Ivan Ortola (ESP), KTM +0.371

5. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +0.645

9. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +0.909

10. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +0.948

17. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo +1.504

19. Alvaro Carpe (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo 1:47.713 (Q1)

24. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo 1:48.235 (Q1)

Results Qualifying Moto2 Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona

1. Aron Canet (ESP) 1:42.003