The Red Bull KTM Ajo team arrives at the Jerez Grand Prix having made a good start to the season in the first three races outside Europe. Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder have also obtained very good results on the Spanish track in the past, which gives hope for a good race on Sunday.
After a fifth place in Qatar and two third places in Argentina and Austin, Miguel Oliveira arrives confident and very motivated on the Jerez track. Last year he finished on the podium, so this year's objective is obviously to match or improve this result: “We arrive in Jerez after two consecutive podiums, and the general classification is tightening. One of our first objectives is above all to improve our position on the grid. I hope we will have a good race and that we can get on the podium again, or even win if that is possible. We will try to progress with the consistency we have in order to make the most of the first weekend in Europe. »
However, the Portuguese driver remains, as usual, cautious because he knows that he will have to take certain things into account to hope to play ahead this weekend: “During pre-season it took us a little time to get back to the same times as during the tests we did at the end of last year. The temperature is always very high during the Spanish Grand Prix so we will have to work to find the setting that best suits this characteristic of the bike. »
His teammate Brad Binder is also very motivated but for different reasons. Despite two sixth places in Qatar and Austin, he crashed in Argentina, and currently only occupies eighth place in the World Championship, a result which is far from satisfying him as he wants to fight for the podium in each race.
The South African is counting on Jerez to get back on track, but he will have to take into account the fact that he has never ridden in Moto2 there: “We arrive at the Spanish Grand Prix confident. I feel good and ready. This is the circuit on which we did the most laps during pre-season testing. However, this will be my first Moto2 race on this track, after missing last year due to injury. During the tests we were quite fast and we had a good feeling with the bike. I hope to be able to have a good weekend. »
A champion nevertheless remaining a champion, Binder clearly states his goal for this weekend: “The objective for the first GP in Europe is to work hard in every session. If we do that, we will get a good result and we might even (why not?) win, like we did in my last Spanish GP in 2016."
