KTM need to find more speed, Binder admits

OBAKENG MELETSE

For a 2024 season that was built up as the one that could unleash the best of Brad Binder as one of the leading racers in MotoGP, KTM have struggled for pace so far this season and they have fallen well behind the frontrunners.

A sixth-place finish in both the Dutch MotoGP sprint and the main race on Sunday brought Binder within two points of KTM Tech 3 rider Pedro Acosta after collecting 14 points from the weekend.

Despite the challenges faced so far this season, the South African is still 67 points ahead of teammate Jack Miller, who finds himself 15th and on his way out, with the 20-year-old Acosta set to make the move up to the factory team next season.

“Quite a hectic race,” said Binder afterwards.

“I decided to go with the soft rear tire because I felt there might be more potential to go with the boys in front but the reality was that they could put down a super-fast pace with the medium, and we just burnt the tire to go with them. It was tricky, for sure.

“I would have liked to have walked away with a better result but I left nothing on the table. We have some work to do.

“My feeling is not terrible. I understand the front limit and I didn’t crash at all this weekend. We just need to find more speed.”

Binder, starting on a soft rear tyre, had to manage most of his race and was all set to finish in eighth, before an Acosta error in the closing moments of the race promoted him to seventh. Marc Marquez’s tyre pressure infringement got the South African a further position as he moved up into sixth.

Afterwards, team manager Franceso Guidotti said: “We have some homework to do.

“Overall, the weekend was not too bad. Brad had a direct Q2 on Friday and a decent sprint considering the front tyre pressure.

“Our expectation was a bit higher but he struggled to run the pace of the front group. We have some useful information and we have to work very hard in the next few days.”