MotoGP, Binder: “I know what I need to improve to be competitive”

Second in the 2023 World Championship with 373 points compared to Ducati’s 700, KTM is preparing for the new season with a clear objective: even if they don’t beat the Italian squad, they at least want to be a more constant nuisance for them. 

With just a few days to go before the last winter test session, Brad Binder takes stock of the situation, and doesn’t hide that he’s satisfied with the progress they’ve made so far: “Last year, we started with some difficulties, but then we gradually recuperated, especially with our performance in qualifying, And we confirmed that development in Malaysia,” he said in a video-conference with the press during the official presentation of the 2024 colors.

Despite the final ranking from the three days in Sepang, which doesn’t seem to have rewarded the Austrian team, the South African rider was optimistic: “There will definitely be something to review and improve, but I’ve already noticed a clear progress in terms of engine braking, now much easier to manage, rear grip, and entering corners,” he explained. 

Besides the work that the engineers will have to do on the bike, the 28-year-old admitted that he needs to improve in some areas. “It would be important for me to take a step forward in qualifying, because not being up in front doesn’t help. I should also learn to manage the tires differently, so as to reach the end of the race with a level of tires that’s equal to or possibly better than that of our rivals. Already being able to do these two things would be a great help to me in being competitive.”

Binder then speaks of the entire team and their very precise goals: “No one has stopped, and neither have we. Our ambition is to win on a regular basis, and I believe that’s possible.”

The result reached on the final day of the Malaysian tests also gave him a boost: “In the time attacks, I struggled in the morning because of some problems on my RC16. But, in the afternoon, with the heat, I was fast, and this makes me confident for when I’ll have to go looking for a time on race weekends.”

Finally, Brad focused on an aspect that involved the entire group during the tests: namely, assessing how the various fairings behaved. “We analyzed several of them, with numerous combinations. It always depends on what you want to achieve. Some change agility, others grip. Of course, we collected a lot of information that will be useful for the engineers.”