A few days after the second meeting in Misano, it was not far from Barcelona that the drivers of Team CIP-GREEN POWER met for the Catalan Grand Prix.
Fifth in the combined standings on the evening of the opening day, Darryn Binder maintained his position on Saturday morning to immediately reach Q2. From ninth position on the grid, his best result since the inaugural event in Qatar, the South African fought for victory from the start.
Second at the start of the last lap, he took the lead a few turns from the checkered flag to claim the first success of his Grand Prix career.
For Maximilian Kofler, this ordeal in Catalonia proved more delicate. Qualified in 30th position, the Austrian reached the finish line in 23rd place.
After three events in three weeks, the CIP-GREEN POWER duo has a few days of rest before the team's next home meeting on the Bugatti circuit in Le Mans.
Darryn Binder (1st) : " I have been fast all weekend since the first free practice session. I felt strong when I started the race. This morning at breakfast I told my brother that I could win, I'm sure of it. We were talking about how I should go about it. All I can say is that the plan worked to perfection. I managed not to make a single mistake. I drove very cleanly. I felt pretty fast, so I stayed in front and at the end I lined everything up perfectly. It's been a long time coming and I'm glad I finally did it. »
Maximilian Kofler (23th) : " I think we improved a bit between testing and the race. We made some progress, so we can build on that and make more at Le Mans. »
Alain Bronec (Team Owner) : “ Fantastic victory from Darryn! Already during testing, he had shown himself comfortable and fast. The bike handled pretty well. Despite the low temperature, Darryn worked very well and it's really great. We thank KTM, all our sponsors and everyone who has helped us over the years. I would like to congratulate the entire CIP team for all the work accomplished throughout the season. At this moment of joy, we think of Shoya and his family. This victory by a French Team fills us with pride just before the French Grand Prix which will take place at Le Mans on October 11. »
