Latest news with #RedBullKTMRC16
The Citizen
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Brad Binder hopes to regain confidence ahead of Aragon MotoGP
Red Bull KTM man has slipped to a lowly 14th place in the premier class world championship. Brad Binder has twice stood on the top step at Aragon. Picture: Red Bull KTM Despite returning to a happy hunting ground at the Aragon MotoGP this weekend, that is still no guarantee for Brad Binder to stop the rot he is currently experiencing on his Red Bull KTM RC16. Binder only managed a solitary championship point in his last four starts and is languishing in 14th place on 34 points in the title race. He is already a mammoth 162 points behind leader Marc Marquez (196) after just seven out of 22 rounds. The KTM man finished fourth twice in the premier class at the 5.08km layout in Spain, while he also took the chequered flag twice at Aragon in Moto2. Brad Binder hopes to improve 'I need to regain my confidence and take advantage of the good feelings when they come,' Binder told the PaddockGP website after the last race at Silverstone. After crashing out twice in France and then in the sprint race at Silverstone, Binder finished 15th in the main race, citing his struggles with the RC16. 'The last thing I want is to not finish four races in a row. And even when I'm driving at my limit, I'm asking myself, 'What am I doing?' ALSO READ: Brad Binder apologises to Red Bull KTM after double French flop 'A little tricky' 'This is certainly not ideal. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm not supposed to be riding in 15th position. But that's how it is. That's really my level right now,' he continued. 'It's a little tricky. But I must regain confidence. And I'm sure we'll get there.' The situation in the KTM garage is so dire that it rumoured Binder's team-mate Pedro Acosta, touted as a future premier class champ, has been in talks with various other manufacturers to jump ship. Binder is still contracted until the end of next year. ALSO READ: Brad Binder: Brilliant on a bike, but 'useless' at braaiing Darryn good to go Gresini Moto2 confirmed that Brad Binder's younger brother Darryn Binder will race in Spain. He missed the French and British Grands Prix with an arm injury and has undergone 'three intense weeks of rehabilitation and physiotherapy'. Teenager Ruché Moodley will eye another points finish in Aragon after making a low-key return at Silverstone. The BOE Motorsport rider was still recovering from a from fractured radius in his right arm he suffered during practice at the Spanish Grand Prix, an incident he also had to serve two long-lap penalties for at Silverstone. The MotoGP sprint race starts at 3pm on Saturday and the main at 2pm on Sunday. The lights go out fir the Moto3 race at 11am on Sunday, with Moto2 action getting underway at 12.15pm.
The Citizen
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Brad Binder urges Red Bull KTM to ‘figure out things a little bit'
South African star could only earn one point is his last four MotoGP starts. Brad Binder admitted there is lots of room for improvement after another disappointing weekend at the British MotoGP. The Red Bull KTM rider left Silverstone with one point after crashing out of the sprint race and finishing the main race in 15th place. The solitary point is all Binder has to show for his last four starts, after crashing out twice at the French Grand Prix. Binder is still 14th in the title race on 34 points, a country mile behind leader Marc Marquez (196). Marx Marquez finished third at Silverstone behind Marco Bezzecchi and Johann Zarco to stretch his champions lead over this brother Alex Marquez to 24 points. No luck for Brad Binder Things could have turned out very differently for Binder had the main race not been red-flagged following a collision between Franco Morbidelli and Aleix Espargaro.. He made a great start to move from 19th on the grid to 12th as the Marquez brothers crashed out within the first three laps. The pair restarted on new bikes and Binder could not repeat his heroics at the second go and never ran higher than 12th. 'A tough weekend for us here in Silverstone. Qualifying was difficult. We didn't finish the sprint. And the race today was tough,' Binder told the KTM website. ALSO READ: VIDEO: Brad Binder's MotoGP Red Bull KTM RC16 from up close 'I got a good start before the red flag and didn't on the second start. I struggled with confidence and to know where I could push and where I couldn't. As soon as I started to feel okay then I would have some moments. It's hard at the moment. We need to figure things out a little bit and step-up for Aragon.' KTM loses more ground What should be of great concern to KTM is that other manufacturers are catching up with Ducati at a much faster rate than they are. Bezzecchi won for Aprilia, Zarco is on a Honda and Fabio Quartararo, who was on pole position and leading the race when he retired due to mechanical issues, rides for Yamaha. ALSO READ: Brad Binder: Sleeping at home and racing at Kyalami will be 'sick' Binder's team-mate Pedro Acosta did well to finish sixth from 14th place, but even he was very vocal about the KTM's struggles at the weekend. Ruché Moodley, who made his comeback after a hand injury, finished the Moto3 race in 20th place. Brad Binder's younger brother, Moto2 rider Darryn Binder, will only make his return from a hand injury at the Aragon Grand Prix in two weeks' time.
The Citizen
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Brad Binder apologises to Red Bull KTM after double French flop
South African star crashes out twice at Le Mans to slide down to 14th in title race. Brad Binder's MotoGP season is not going according to plan. Picture: Ref Bull KTM Brad Binder apologised to his Red Bull KTM team after his dismal showing at the French MotoGP at the weekend. Binder failed so score points at Le Mans Bugatti after crashing out of both the sprint and main race to slide down to 14th in the title race. Johann Zarco romped to victory in a chaotic wet main race on Sunday to become the first Frenchman to win in front of his home crowd in 71 years. Marc Marquez (171 points) stretched his lead at the top of standings over his brother Alex Marquez (149), with Pecco Bagnaia (120) still in third. Brad Binder stumped 'Not too much to say. My race was a lot shorter than I would have liked,' Binder told the KTM website. 'Sometimes things do not work out and sorry to my team because they deserved a good result after all their efforts lately.' After failing to progress to Q2, Binder started 13th on the grid. He moved up to seventh place during the sprint race, but crashed out on lap five. Binder's main race, during which he also had to serve a two long-lap penalty, ended on the seventh lap on Sunday. ALSO READ: VIDEO: Brad Binder's MotoGP Red Bull KTM RC16 from up close He started the race on wet tyres, but pitted for slicks as riders frantically swopped between wet and dry configurations in the first half of the race. Zarco's gamble to start and stay on wet tyres paid dividends as the LCR Honda man beat Marc Marques by almost 20 seconds. Tricky conditions 'Very tricky to understand what tires we should have had at the beginning. We had wets, came in for slicks and I thought things were going quite well but into the last corner there was a bit more water than I expected and it just slipped away,' Binder added. ALSO READ: Brad Binder: Sleeping at home and racing at Kyalami will be 'sick' 'I picked up, did my two long laps and was planning to come in but it just washed in Turn 1. It was time to have been on the wets. We'll try again in Silverstone.' Brad Binder's younger brother Darryn Binder had an even worse outing in France as the Gresini Moto2 rider broke his left-hand during practice. Like Moto3 rider Ruché Moodley, he is ruled out indefinitely. The MotoGP show now moves to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix in two weeks' time.
