Red Bull KTM's Brad Binder's best performance at the Argentina MotoGP main race is a sixth place finish in 2022.
Image: Red Bull
Brad Binder will look to repeat his heriocs at the Argentina MotoGP this weekend, like he did in the 2023 sprint race, after sweeping through the field that year to claim an unlikely victory. He will not, however, want a repeat of the main race when he finished a lowly 17th.
The 29-year-old finished P8 in the opening race of the year in Thailand last week, as he still finds himself adjusting to his new package.
Two seasons ago, during the Saturday sprint at Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina, the Red Bull KTM rider started the race in 15th, but ended up piping Marco Bezzecchi by 0.072s to claim victory, and one record of the highlights of the year.
Franco Morbidelli of Yamaha took the early lead by about halfway around the first lap and led until Binder got the better of him two laps later in the 12 lap sprint. From then on, the Top 9 were locked in a ferocious and thrilling battle, with just 1.6s separating them.
With four laps to go, Binder’s lead was up to 0.5s, whith Luca Marini swarming all over the back of second-place Morbidelli and Bezzecchi, who started second on the day, lurking just behind. Soon it was the latter who threatened Binder's remarkable lead.
The gap was down to 0.4s between the duo on the last lap. Binder held firm through the first three sectors, with Bezzecchi eyeing up a final move. The South African, however, defended the lead until the last second, to make a bit of history.
Unfortunatly, a day later, Binder could not replicate the feat, but as he prepares for this weekend's event, he will remember fondly his achievement in the sprint the last time MotoGP visited the country.
The South African will then be hoping to race with the same speed and vigour he did that year, this Sunday, at the second GP of the season.
In Thailand, Binder picked up a handy 10 points for his team, as they seek to dethrone a dominant Ducati. After the race, Binder revealed they will need to focus on strategy moving forward.
“A really long race, for sure. I knew we had to be really easy on the rear tyre and I had to be smooth on the corner exit. Very tricky, especially because it is tempting to get excited and chase harder after people.
“I knew I had to be clever today but I also think I made a bit of a mistake with my tyre choice. Anyway, I think we did a pretty good job considering it wasn’t an easy weekend. The team did a great job, so we’ll keep on fighting and hope for more in Argentina,” he concluded.
