Brad Binder , Sprint Race, Argentina MotoGP. 1 April 2023 // Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202304010406 // Usage for editorial use only //
Brad Binder admitted he “couldn’t have dreamed” of getting as strong a start as he did in the Argentina sprint race, having launched from 15th on the grid to fifth.
The KTM MotoGP rider pulled off a shock victory at the Termas de Rio Hondo despite having struggled for outright pace all weekend prior to the 12-lap sprint encounter, the South African the highest of the Austrian manufacturer’s riders on the grid of only 18 – with Jack Miller 16th and Augusto Fernandez 17th on their respective RC16’s.
A large slice of the credit for his unexpected success came from his blistering start in which he sliced from 15th to fifth by the time he exited the opening bend, which then became fourth by the end of the opening tour.
Having moved into the lead by the end of the third lap, Binder managed to hold off a charging Marco Bezzecchi in the closing stages of the contest to secure his first MotoGP race win since the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix.
Binder conceded he “didn’t expect that at all” shortly after taking the chequered flag, adding that a mix of making the near-perfect start as well as a “huge step” made with the setup of his bike overnight allowed him to secure KTM’s first win of the year.
“I didn’t expect that at all, honestly my bike worked so well from the first lap and I got the most unreal start I could have ever asked for,” explained Binder.
“I got really lucky (at the start) where there was a gap where the riders split, some were on the left and some were right so I could get down the middle and just chip my way through.
“I couldn’t have ever dreamed of getting a start that good, so when I saw an opportunity of getting to first I took it with both hands and from then on it was a case of whoever passed me try and divebomb them straight back.
“We made a huge step from yesterday and I was able to keep rhythm at my fastest lap from yesterday, so hats off to the team they did an unreal job.
“My rhythm wasn’t terrible, and even though the other guys had a bit extra at the end we won the race so I can’t complain and I’m really happy.”
Binder added that he had hoped his philosophy of “fight the hardest” would net him a decent gain relative to his starting spot, though said he had to swing to the side of defence as he came under serious pressure from Bezzecchi’s Ducati across the final stanza of the race.
“All year you’ve seen that we haven’t been the fastest but I had the idea that if I fight the hardest maybe we can get something, so it worked out and we’ll see what we can manage tomorrow,” continued Binder.
“I could hear a bike right there so I knew I had to block, I defended so tight at the last corner and luckily it worked.
“I went deep a couple times just trying to close the line, but it worked so now it’s all done and dusted and we focus on tomorrow.”
Keyword: Binder: ‘I couldn’t have dreamed of getting a start that good’