Top ten start in Assen for Brad Binder at the #DutchGP
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are set for a promising Motul TT Assen and the eleventh round of 2022 MotoGP as Brad Binder entered Q2 and rode to a top ten position on the grid during qualification at the prestigious TT Assen Circuit.
MotoGP moved rapidly from Sachsenring, Germany to the fast curves of the TT Circuit Assen for the latest stop on the long 2022 Grand Prix trail. The flat and historic venue has staged world championship racing for more than 70 years and welcomed back a full capacity crowd for the first time since 2019.
4.5km long with 18 corners or ‘kinks’; the TT Circuit Assen is a quick but technical blend and is favored by riders for the challenge. The Dutch climate proved to be unstable for the first day of Free Practice on Friday with rain creating treacherous conditions but the facility dried enough for Brad to emerge as the fastest RC16 rider with 7th on combined times.
On Saturday the clouds drifted over but Assen stayed dry. During Q1 Brad, teammate Oliveira and Remy Gardner all entered the first two qualification slots but it was the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo that made the breakthrough. During Q2 Brad secured 10th place which means he heads the fourth row.
Moto3 begins the Dutch race day at 11.00, followed by Moto2 at 12.20 and MotoGP at 14.00 CET.
Brad Binder:
“Pretty good today. I’m happy to have gone through to Q2 and I think that’s the first time in five races that we’ve managed it. It’s important, and I also had strong pace in FP4 and felt good. Everything’s looking good for tomorrow and I want to put a decent race together. I need to put more effort into the first sector but overall the team worked really well and I’m happy with our base setting here. Tomorrow will be a tough race here and it always is at Assen but I’m excited to see how we will get on.”