Let's talk MotoGP: The Brad Binder surprise?

In 2021, KTM had a frustrating season but one punctuated with great moments. The inconsistency in the results was simply inexplicable as rarely in the history of motorcycle Grands Prix. This point was undoubtedly the biggest concern of the Austrian team for the start of 2022. Even if we will have to wait for the first European races to form a more complete opinion, the men in orange impressed in Qatar. Analysis.

First of all, let's start with an important point. This time, the fact that Lusail is not a “KTM track” was in no way overused. If we take a look at the statistics, this is the worst plot for the Matthighofen, and the only one where the team has already seen its two factory drivers finish outside the points (2017). If we take only these same factory drivers (eight starts for five drivers in total), the best result was only a 12th position acquired by Pol Espargaro in 2019. This shows what second place represents.

On the side of Brad Binder, this result is the fruit of long work. Last year, the 3 Moto2016 champion did not stand out at the front except for the second Austrian round, won following a crazy race, with no real conclusions to draw from it. If the team and the spectators felt more the potential of Miguel Oliveira, untouchable or almost on a good day, Binder had an exemplary season, marked by consistency. This type of season “a la Bradley Smith” too often slips off the media radar because two feats and then gone are better than ten solid races, at least on social media.

From Friday, Binder did not hide his joy at the speed of his RC16. The South African was going to have an excellent race, second only a few meters from a Bastianini on a mission. Full of common sense and never beyond the limit, Binder even remarked that he could have had more power, the fault of a traction control set too high for his taste. Implausible.

Could this be a good year for KTM? Even if it is (much) too early to tell, the indicators are green. Binder, in particular, therefore has regularity, the ability to adapt according to new elements (we saw previously that it had not been so impacted by developments in 2021), the vision of a winner, a good sense of racing (he can dominate or chase, in the rain or in the dry)... All he needed was a big qualification to assert himself as a contender for the title.

Certainly, the RC16 is unpredictable and can play tricks, but Binder seems mentally equipped to deal with these inconveniences. Beyond that, the 2022 vintage seems well born, and it is better to fumble a little a third of the way through the season than to start from the bottom, just for the morale of the troops, ask Quartararo.

However, questions remain. The performance of Oliveira, who started 14th, questions. The one who was seen as the number 1 driver also had new aerodynamic elements in Qatar, but they did nothing. The friendly Portuguese is a little doubtful, aware that he must pull himself together.

Indeed, the “academy” is pushing hard. Besides Gardner et Fernandez, the Moto2 team has two great talents. Peter Acosta on the one hand, could prove to be a true driving genius if he were to win in his first year in the intermediate category. Marc Márquez and many others have already predicted him champion. do not forget Augusto Fernández, certainly one of the most underrated drivers, who could also move into the big leagues in the event of poor performance.

This reserve can be a source of problems, because unless you hire a third team, KTM will have to let go of the ballast. This squad depth can be difficult for pilots to manage, adding additional pressure. Let's not skip ahead: to win, KTM will have to provide a competitive machine in all races, which, for the moment, has never happened. But if the Austrians have put their finger on last year's problem, then we could well have new champions on the list.

What do you think ? Can Binder play a title, absolutely? Tell us in the comments!

 

 

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport