This Sunday August 15, 2021, Brad Binder answered questions from journalists from the Red Bull Ring circuit, at the end of the Austrian Grand Prix.
We went to listen (via teleconferencing software) to the words of the South African driver, who knew how to take a big gamble by driving on slick tires in the wet to achieve his second victory in the category after that of Brno last year. last.
As usual, we report here the words of Brad Binder without the slightest formatting.
Brad, how does it feel to be on the podium again, and on the top step, for the first time since your first victory in the category last year in Brno?
« All what I wanted to do today was get a podium. I felt like it had been years since I finished in the top 3. I was close a couple of times, but without really achieving my goals. To be honest I was having a really horrible race before the rain started. The rear tire was messing up: Every time I tried to brake, it started slipping all over the place, and when I accelerated it didn't happen. Nothing. »
« I was really struggling, but when I saw the first drops coming, I started to get closer to the leading group. I realized that all these guys were going to pit when I saw Marc Márquez looking behind him, and personally I made my decision when I saw the whole group diving into the pit lane. »
« Mon first lap was good, but the last two were not the same... In the last lap the brakes were completely cold, and I couldn't even brake. So I had to let it roll, no matter how much pressure I applied to the brake lever. I really struggled to stay on track. But what do you expect: Sometimes you have to take a gamble, and I'm very happy with how it turned out. »
“I was having a really horrible race until the rain came”
When it started to rain, your pace was truly exceptional…
« I have really started to get excited when the rain started falling. I really saw it as an opportunity to catch up and take advantage of it. At that time I must have been in sixth or seventh position, I don't know exactly, but as soon as I saw the leading group in front of me I said to myself that it was a fantastic opportunity. Knowing that it was our home Grand Prix, I had to take this risk, and I'm really happy that it paid off. »
During the last two races, it was especially Miguel Oliveira who shone in the KTM clan. Was it difficult for you to wait for this turnaround?
« La The positive thing for me in the last few races was that I was able to see that the bike was capable of a lot of things, and that all I had to do was work on myself. When you see someone doing something, it makes it easier. So I started to work harder, so that I could reach the same level as my teammate. It's always good to have a very fast teammate. On the one hand it forces you to be humble, and on the other hand you learn a lot. I think in the end it only made me a better driver. »
Did you make the decision to stay on track completely instinctively, or did you have time to think about it?
« When I saw the leading group coming into the pits, I knew it was an opportunity to take a gamble. It was an excellent decision for the next lap, because I was still able to go very quickly in the first sector, even if in the second it was already more complicated. At the beginning I was still able to get through it without too much fear, but as soon as the brakes started to cool, I can tell you that the last two laps were very long. I also remembered what my brother Darryn had said to me, who explained to me that he was impressed with the level of grip provided by the slick tires in the wet. »
“When the brakes started to cool, I can tell you that the last two laps were long”
Could you describe your last ride?
« For There's not much to say for me, it was a real disaster [laughs]. I crossed the line at the start of the last lap and saw that I was nine seconds ahead on my dashboard. I really did my best to stay on track. I braked, took the corner very slowly, and then accelerated in a straight line until the next junction. »
« Le Simply staying on track on the last lap was almost impossible. I have to say that I thought it was over for me a couple of times, because in turn 3 I couldn't stop in turn 3. The only thing that wasn't working too badly was my brake back. I started to slide and found myself with the handlebars stuck, while trying to stay on the track by all means. »
« Je I was really expecting that someone would overtake me on the fly, but that wasn't the case and at the end when I saw the checkered flag, it was a real relief: The ordeal was over! I couldn't even believe we won today. »
“When I saw the checkered flag, it was a real relief”
After all those problems on the last lap, has the idea of going over the track limits in almost every corner crossed your mind? You could have been penalized for that… Was that something you had in mind?
« Ce It wasn't easy to stay on the track, and I certainly didn't want to go beyond the limits of the track, you can be sure of that! I think I made my last lap a lot longer than it could have been. But I had no control of the situation: If you can't brake, you can't turn. The only choice available to you is to shoot straight or fall. »
Do you think it is possible for drivers to train to deal with this type of situation: Driving in the wet on slick tires?
« Si you want to hurt yourself in a more or less short time, that's a good option indeed [laughs]. No, seriously it's not something you can prepare for. »
You've said in the past that your biggest nightmare is riding in the wet. Will your victory today lead you to revise your point of view?
« No, because today was not about racing, but about survival. I just tried to finish the race, not to be the fastest. To be honest I made quite good progress in the wet this weekend. I was able to better understand how to properly ride a motogp with Michelin tires in the wet. I'm happy with that. I have to say that on balance, today was very scary, but I'm still very happy with the outcome. »
Would you have made the decision to stay on track if you had been in the lead when it came time to choose? Because today you finally had nothing to lose...
« Le key factor for me is that I had a difficult first part of the race before. I just couldn't fly with my hand. So I just tried to do my best, and when I saw the opportunity to get back into the lead group, I just decided to go for it and see what happened. pass. »
MotoGP Austria Race Ranking:
Classification credit: MotoGP.com
