Brad Binder takes solid seventh at demanding German GP
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing clocked a double top ten result at the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland and in front of a sell-out crowd packed into the sunny Sachsenring. The tenth round of the MotoGP world championship saw Brad Binder finish 7th as all KTM RC16 riders grabbed points in Germany.
The gradients and varying curves of the Sachsenring welcomed back MotoGP fans for the first time since 2019 and hot summer weather forged a memorable 24th visit to the circuit located a short distance west of Dresden and Chemnitz. The grandstands and banking were loaded with 232,000 appreciative spectators for the latest episode of the unpredictable racing series.
The short 3.7km layout produced incredibly close lap-times with up to 20 riders separated by less than a second in Free Practice. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing filled slots on the fifth row of the grid while Tech3 KTM Factory Racing began Sunday’s affair from slightly further back. The 30 circulations represented the highest quantity of laps at any track this season and the tight nature of Sachsenring meant that overtaking was a tricky task. A decent start was essential and in this respect Brad gained three positions on the first lap. The South African then kept pushing through the field. In the early stages he had Miguel Oliveira for company.
Air temperatures breached 30 degrees and created demanding conditions for the riders but also the machinery. Brad progressed up to 7th and was just seven seconds away from the podium. It was his fourth consecutive top ten. He is now 5th in the Riders world championship.
From one historic circuit to another: MotoGP next attempts the fast and flowing layout of the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands for round eleven next weekend.
Brad Binder:
“It’s a been a long weekend for us here. He tried to be competitive over one lap but it’s been really difficult to get in the top ten. In Warm-up this morning I managed to push all the way consistently and could find my pace and all my marks. My goal today was to make sure I finished the race so I’m happy that I could give all I have. We take home a 7th and I expected better at one point but I didn’t have anything left with the rear tire. We just have to keep working. Next week at Assen is a completely different track with different conditions. I hope it will suit us better.”