03.11.2024

Strong results for Vietti and Rueda at intense Malaysian MotoGP™

MotoGP 2024 - Round 19 of 20, Sepang International Circuit – Race

Jack Miller KTM MotoGP 2024 Malaysia Sunday © KTM Images/Polarity Photo

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Brad Binder and Jack Miller were victims of a second corner accident at a hot Malaysian Grand Prix at the long Sepang International Circuit. Both the South African and Australian could not make the restarted nineteenth round of the season but the KTM GP Academy provided highlights with a double dose of silverware. Jose Antonio Rueda rode to 3rd in Moto3™ and Celestino Vietti won for the third time this year in Moto2™.

Binder does not start the Grand Prix at Sepang with a hurt left shoulder after being part of a multi-rider collision through the second corner
Miller is unharmed after tangling in the same incident and initially needing on-track attention. The Aussie also could not make the restart
Fourth podium of the year in Moto3 for Jose Antonio Rueda with the KTM RC4 and fourth trophy of the season as well for Celestino Vietti thanks to his superb Moto2™ victory

The Malaysian Grand Prix got underway with stifling heat, cloudy skies and the promise of a draining 20-lap distance ahead. Brad Binder and Jack Miller had aimed to stretch a reasonably positive weekend so far into the critical moment of the meeting: the pair had qualified in 10th and 7th respectively and had scored 7th and 8th in the Saturday Sprint.

Contact through the exit of Turn 1 and into Turn 2 and the most chaotic moment of the race collected both Binder and Miller as contact ensued, and multiple riders were affected. Binder came back to the pitbox but felt discomfort with his left shoulder. Miller went to the medical center and was given the all-clear but did not reform on the grid.

Binder is 6th in the MotoGP table: three points behind Pedro Acosta. Miller is 14th while KTM is the second best Constructor in the standings. The date and location of the twentieth and final Grand Prix of the season will be announced in due course.

Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Luckily nobody injured today. It was very bad to see. Brad tried to make the second start but the pain in shoulder meant it was not safe to start. He’ll have a check tomorrow and Jack had a check in the medical center but was then back in the box and was OK. We were unlucky today but then fortunate in another way and we have one more chance to make some results now this season.”

Malaysian Grand Prix photographs can be found HERE

Results MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix

1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 38:04.563

2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +3.141

3. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Ducati +10.484

5. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS +13.699

10. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS +22.174

DNS. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

DNS. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

World Championship standings MotoGP

1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati, 485 points

2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 461

3. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati, 369

5. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS, 209

6. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 206

14. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 84

20. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS, 27

KTM GP Academy

Jose Antonio Rueda had displayed encouraging pace through Friday and Saturday with the KTM RC4 in Moto3 and lined-up on the grid in 10th place. Sepang invited slipstreaming and careful race strategy with the heavy braking zones and two wide, long straights. The front running pack initially consisted of 12 riders and filtered down to 7. Rueda bided his time and made a late charge into the finale of the 15 laps. He finished 3rd and was 0.4 from the winner for his fourth top three appearance. Jose Antonio can still reach 5th in the final championship standings. He currently sits 7th. Rookie Xabi Zurutuza started in 25th and made it to the flag in a decent 14th for his third snare of points this year.

Jose Antonio Rueda, 3rd: “This podium is for all the people of Valencia. Today was a good day for racing and I’m really happy to be back up here. We’ve been working for this, and I hope we can do it at the last race.”

Red Bull KTM Ajo had both Celestino Vietti and Deniz Öncü well placed on the Moto2 grid. The Italian was 3rd and sat on the end of the front row and the Turk was right behind in P5. The slots helped the pair find elbow room among the leaders in the first phases of the 17-lap chase as Vietti initially sprinted clear Öncü had progressed and improved in his first campaign in the intermediate class and bustled his way in the pack to enter the top six. He rallied to 7th by the end of the distance. Vietti, who was racing for the first time since cracking his left shoulder in practice for the Australian Grand Prix, dueled for victory but remained authoritative at the front and claimed win #3 and his fourth podium for 2024, rising to 7th in the championship.

Celestino Vietti, 1st: “I did not expect this result and it was a tough weekend for the pain and for many things. We worked hard with the physio and the team gave me a great bike from the first session. We made a good qualifying and then went for it. 2024 hasn’t been the easiest year for us but the good feeling has been there. I’m happy for me and for the team. We deserved this but we must also think of the people in Valencia and I hope things can be better there soon.”

Results Moto3 Malaysian Grand Prix

1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 33:03.671

2. Taiyo Furusato (JPN) Honda +0.088

3. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.411

5. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +1.091

12. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +16.019

14. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +20.793

DNF. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna

DNF. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS

DNF. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO

World Championship standings Moto3

1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 396 points