Assen, Netherlands: For the third weekend in a row MotoGP cranked up the revs and screeched to the limits of race rubber as the series hurried from Italy to Germany and then to the Netherlands to reach round eight of twenty and the final stop before a five-week summer hiatus.
The TT Circuit Assen welcomed sunny skies, warm air and tens of thousands of race fans to the fast and challenging course in the north of the country. Red Bull KTM were primed to contribute to the show as Brad Binder and Jack Miller started 5th and 12th on the grid for the 26-lap outing.
The pair had decent showings in Saturday’s Sprint as well with Binder immediately jumping into 2nd, running in a podium position when a tight track limits call dropped him to 5th. Miller took 11th at the flag after a busy race inside the top ten.
At the start of the Grand Prix, the KTM RC16 again leapt away from the grid and Binder immediately sliced into the lead. The South African, who finished 5th at Assen in 2022, led and battled for the top three the entire distance but, as on Saturday, a marginal touch of track limits by just a few millimeters on the final lap while striving to secure his second podium of the season meant 3rd place would swiftly become 4th after the flag.
Looking back on his performance, rider Brad Binder said: “To be honest, I can deal with this situation but I feel really sorry for my entire team. They did an incredible job all weekend and they gave me a bike that I could qualify really well.
“My start was insane and, somehow, we made the soft tire work until the end. We should have had two podiums. I don’t know what I was doing but I didn’t even realize I’d touched that area again. Sorry to the team and I will look at the positives of being strong all weekend and in Silverstone we’ll go again.”
After a slow speed fall on the second lap ended his Grand Prix early, rider Jack Miller said: “Not the way we wanted to finish the first phase of the season. I felt good and got a decent start. I ran deep into Turn 1 on the brakes and tried to pull a tight line to square-up and drive out on the exit but it was a couple of lean degrees too much, too early.
“We’ll take the positives. The bike was good again here and we fixed the vibration we had from yesterday with just a couple of little changes. It was a big gain. Anyway, two Sprint podiums and a main race podium as well as challenging at the front most of the time: I think it has been good season so far. Looking forward to the next one.”
Looking back on the weekend, Red Bull KTM Team Manager Francesco Guidotti said: “A great race today from Brad. He made an incredible job: leading, 2nd from mid-distance and always in the top three. He managed the lap times and the rear tire and unfortunately he touched the green on the last lap. It’s painful to lose the podium again. We paid the same bill at the same corner! It’s something we have to learn for next year.
“Overall though it was a positive weekend because of our competitiveness. Unfortunately, Jack did not finish the race. He was trying to make a pass with a different line and maybe lacked front grip for that. Anyway, he had recovered his feeling with the bike and that was a decent step.
“The first part of the season is done and the balance is positive with the riders, the bikes and the team. Everything is under control and now we’re looking forward to Silverstone with confidence.”
Binder is 4th in the Riders’ championship standings with Miller in 7th. KTM is ranked 2nd in the Constructors table while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are 4th best in Teams list and with ten other competitors.
MotoGP now breaks for the rest of the month and July. The British Grand Prix at Silverstone at the beginning of August will bring the series back together for the next phase of the calendar.