Brad Binder still has fight left in his machine with top 10 finish in Spain

Amid the noise brought on his team’s financial troubles, grip and cornering challenges with the RC16, Brad Binder fought hard to put points on the board with a Top 10 finish in Jerez, Spain, on Sunday. 

A troubled ride during qualifying saw him miss out on Q2. Binder this started the main race in P13but on Sunday fought hard through the pack and concluded with a solid P6 finish, banking himself 10 points for the championship. 

Although he’s nowhere close to the pace the of Ducati riders at the moment, the finish will be helpful in cheering up Red Bull KTM, as they look to drown out the noise and focus on developing their package in an effort to compete for podiums. 

The team have looked better as a unit, with Pedro Acosta seizing the P7 spot behind Binder in his home race, which was won by Alex Marquex. 

Binder’s P6 finish caps off a difficult start to the weekend, with a fall during Q1 on Saturday, which frustrated the South African. He missed the second qualifying round by just 0.055 seconds and gave himself a tough job on Sunday starting in the second half of the grid. 

But the South African dug deep in Spain to find a pace he’s not yet experienced this season. Binder was locked in a heated P4 battle with Maverick Viñales and Fabio di Giannantonio. The tango lasted until the final lap with both Viñales and Di Giannantonio piping Binder. 

The team were in high spirits upon Binders return to the garage following the race, as it marks their highest finish this season. 

“Solid ride from our guys this sunny Sunday afternoon in Jerez. Brad Binder made it home in P6 with Pedro Acosta finishing the Spanish GP in P7,” Red Bull KTM Factory Racing said. 

Binder's ability to extract the most from the bike under challenging circumstances is testament to his talent and determination to be among the best. 

KTM has paused the development of the RC16 due to significant financial difficulties within its parent company, Pierer Industries AG. Reports indicate the company is seeking relief from its €3 billion debt.

It seems Binder has adjusted well to the new and somewhat uncomfortable environment with his P6 finish in Spain, suggesting there’s still a lot of fight left in his dog.