14.10.2023

Hot Indonesia intensity for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in Mandalika MotoGP™ Sprint

MotoGP 2023 - Round 15 of 20, Mandalika Street Circuit, Indonesia – Qualification and Sprint

Jack Miller KTM MotoGP 2023 Indonesia Saturday © KTM Images/Polarity Photo

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The start of the second ever Grand Prix at the modern Mandalika Street Circuit saw high competitiveness for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. Brad Binder had qualified 5th and was eying a podium finish in the Sprint until he was knocked out of the running in lap two and remounted for 19th. Jack Miller scored 9th and from a grid slot of 10th.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing return to Indonesia and to the impressive Mandalika setup on the Island of Lombok where they triumphed in a wet inaugural Grand Prix in 2022
Brad Binder keeps at the top of the time screens on Friday for Q2 entry, qualifies on the second row and then uses his KTM RC16 to run with the leaders until the unfortunate race incident
Jack Miller also makes it directly through to Q2, finds the 10th quickest lap and rides to 9th in the very first Indonesian Sprint
Moto3™ second row for Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Deniz Öncü on the KTM RC4. Pedro Acosta rides to 4th place on the grid after a very tight Moto2™ Q2 session

Indonesian fans received their first dose of MotoGP Sprint action for what was just the second Grand Prix to take place around the Mandalika Street Circuit. Compared to the ‘monsoon’ conditions encountered in Lombok for the race action eighteen months previously, MotoGP sweated and slid through the 13 laps of the Sprint dash on Saturday afternoon and with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing as briefly one of the main protagonists.

On Friday Brad Binder and Jack Miller roamed the top of the time sheets. Binder was performing at the circuit where he qualified 4th in 2022 and scene of his personal best MotoGP Saturday until that point. Miller, racing one week before his home Grand Prix at Phillip Island, was also fast and the pair made Q2 directly. Qualifying saw Binder surge ahead for a second row slot and Miller was not far behind at the tip of the fourth row.

The Sprint took place a few hours later and in full glare of the Indonesia sunshine. Binder was running in the top five until he was crashed into by Aleix Espargaro. The South African was able to restart but was at the back of the field and reached the line in 19th. Miller fought for track space around the top five until a small misjudgment into Turn 1 meant he had to repeat the job. He eventually came home 9th.

The MotoGP Grand Prix will start at 09.00 CEST on Sunday.

Jack Miller, 10th in qualification, 9th in the Sprint: “I lit-it-up a bit at the start. I had a great jump but then she started to spin-up and I had to really feed the gas in. I was able to recover from that but it was really hard to pass. I forced it too much into Turn 1 at one point, and with the softer tire it just locked. So that was a learning experience here. I managed to stay on and make up some ground with some decent laps. I was happy with my pace but obviously we want a bit more than 9th. We have some good foundations for the race tomorrow.”

Brad Binder, 5th in qualification, 19th in the Sprint: “Nothing too serious and nothing to say. My start was pretty decent but it is very difficult to overtake here; the line is very narrow and if you go too far off it then the track becomes very slippery. Unfortunately, I got collected and that was it. This track is a bit special. If you do want to make moves then you have to take a bit of a risk. I felt really good out there and the hard tire was eventually working well. My lap-times after the crash, and without wings, were good so we’re optimistic for tomorrow.”

Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “A positive weekend until the Sprint! Both riders in Q2 directly and this morning in qualifying was decent and solid. We were happy with the bike and the performance but concerned about the tire choice and I believe we made the right decisions. Unluckily Aleix crashed into Brad on the second lap and Jack made a small mistake which cost him the top five. Brad was in very good shape and had his usual strong start. We’ll see tomorrow.”

Grand Prix of Indonesia photographs can be found HERE

Results Qualifying MotoGP Grand Prix of Indonesia

1. Luca Marini (ITA) Ducati 1:29.978

2. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Aprilia +0.031

3. Aleix Espargaro (ESP) Aprilia +0.154

5. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.720

10. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.992

Results MotoGP Sprint Grand Prix of Indonesia

1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati 19:49.711

2. Luca Marini (ITA) Ducati +1.131

3. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati +2.081

9. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +7.852

19. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +43.090

KTM GP Academy

One second divided 16 riders on combined times after the first Practice runs on Friday and the sheets were topped by Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Deniz Öncü. The Turk maintained his speed into Saturday where he was able to take his KTM RC4 to 5th and less than three tenths of a second from Pole Position.

Teammate Jose Rueda had to find the best lines and braking markers around Mandalika for the first time but the impressively consistent Spaniard was able to be fast and efficient for 16th and the sixth row. Fellow rookie and Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Filippo Farioli had the same challenge and managed 27th.

Daniel Holgado knew a positive Indonesian round was necessary to get his 2023 title campaign spinning in the right direction. The Spaniard had ridden well two weeks previously to make the podium in Japan and was pursuing another trophy in Mandalika. His 7th place on the start grid for the 20 laps on Sunday was a promising initial step.

Moto2 Pole Position proved elusive for Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta but the Spaniard was once more among the pacesetters of the category; a contest he heads by 50 points with only six races left on the calendar. Acosta slipped off the bike on Friday but was more focused on the job during Saturday and his best flying lap was good enough for the top of the second row (4th place for the second GP on the bounce) and just four hundredths of a second from P1. Alberta Arenas, already much fitter and more confident since his left shoulder injury sustained in Misano three races ago, was 14th quickest. Moto2 will lay rubber for 22 laps on Sunday.

Results Qualifying Moto3 Grand Prix of Indonesia

1. Diogo Moreira (BRA) KTM 1:39.085

2. Jaume Masia (ESP) Honda +0.040

3. David Alonso (COL) GASGAS +0.225

5. Deniz Öncü (TUR), Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.283

7. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.341

16. Jose Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +1.079

27. Filippo Farioli (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 1:40.758 (Q1)

Results Qualifying Moto2 Grand Prix of Indonesia

1. Aron Canet (ESP) 1:34.155

2. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) +0.003

3. Filip Salac (CZE) +0.019