Brad Binder: Improved Control Over Pumping and Spinning Leads to Competitive Performance in Qatar MotoGP
KTM’s Brad Binder produced a remarkable performance at the MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix, taking second place in both the sprint race and the main event. However, the South African not only highlighted the result, but also the significant improvements the team made for the main race.
Binder expressed his satisfaction with the improved performance in the main race compared to the sprint. He revealed that key adjustments made overnight provided more effective control over issues such as pump and slip, contributing to more competitive performance.
“We can’t complain,” Binder said. “Two second places to start the season is great. I’m much happier with second place today than second place yesterday.”
The rider stressed that he felt something was off the day before, but the team’s changes made the bike much more controllable. He emphasized that it was difficult to remain calm when faced with the temptation to push, especially when Francesco Bagnaia was in the spotlight.
“It was hard to stay calm because I could see Pecco was there. It was like a dangling carrot and you just want to go after him. But I knew if I tried to push I could catch up a bit, but I will lose a few. seconds in the final laps.”
Binder explained that the challenge during the sprint race was gripping the tire edges, which led to tire inflation and skidding. However, the team’s improvements to the bike’s electronics and setup largely solved these problems.
“There was one thing we needed to improve from yesterday. For me, I had too much pump and the grip was a little inconsistent. Once I started to slide a little bit and open the throttle, it never locked up. It’s always very good for the first three rounds.” of the competitors, then unfortunately there is a slight decrease and then it remains constant again.”
“The guys worked a lot on the electronics, changed the engine a bit and everything was much better under control.”
Binder emphasized that despite the slight return of vibrations, better control during the main race was evident. He emphasized the need to further develop the engine to meet the challenges of the future and expressed optimism for stiffer competition in future races.
“The improvements made by the team demonstrate an effective approach to tackling technical challenges and Binder is confident that the team will continue to refine the engine for future races.”
