KTM rider Brad Binder maintains a positive attitude despite setbacks during qualifying and the Portuguese MotoGP Sprint race. After a crash in qualifying on Saturday, forcing him to start tenth, Binder suffered another crash during the Sprint race at Portimao, adding to his frustration.
« It was a trying day, for sure, " begin Brad Binder. “ I felt pretty good this morning, until Q2 came and, on my first fast lap, I crashed. I had to run to the pits to jump on my second bike, but the second tire I used offered no grip, no performance. This was how my qualifying session ended."
Starting from tenth place, Binder hoped to get back into the peloton. “ I got a good start, but I got stuck. Despite my efforts, I was unable to pass. I had difficulty in fast corners keeping the bike on line. The fall is a small mistake on my part, being a little too wide, and braking as usual, without really having the front wheel engaged. When I hit a bump, the front wheel locked up. It was a small fall, nothing serious. Better on a Saturday than a Sunday."
Brad Binder: “ luck was not on our side today »
Brad Binder does not, however, lose confidence in his KTM, despite a difficult Saturday. “ This is a circuit where I have had difficulty in the past,” he admits, “ but we were quick, everything is fine. It's not difficult to maintain a competitive pace, but luck wasn't on our side today."
The fact that his KTM teammate, Jack Miller, finished fifth in the Sprint race foreshadows what could have been for Binder. " I really believe that if it had been different, the story would have been different. I have the pace to compete. At least I gave it my all. But I couldn't show it, I fell in the third round. Just not our day. I have made mistakes myself. It's time to turn the page."
Nevertheless, Brad Binder remains optimistic for the main race on Sunday. “ Tomorrow will be a good day for us. Most will choose the medium tire, because the soft ones will not last until the end. It will be better for us. My problem in today's race was getting back to the front. We made some adjustments because I had absolutely no grip with a tire that seemed to be made of wood! »
MotoGP, Portugal J2: Starting grid:
MotoGP, Portugal J2: Sprint classification
Credit classification motogp.com
