Brad Binder (33) from the Republic of South Africa and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing during qualifying at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit on November 13, 2021 in Valencia, Spain.
Photo by Jose Breton / Pics Action / NurPhoto
• Brad Binder pushes the limit to seventh place in the sunshine in Valencia.
• The South African also finished sixth overall in the championship standings.
• KTM closes the book in 2021 with two wins and four podium places.
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What a year it was for South Africa’s MotoGP hero Brad Binder. He’s been consistent all year round and while this is only his second season in the premier class it’s certainly a sign that our local rider will be coming more.
And with his younger brother Darryn on the grid for the 2022 season, the South Africans have a lot more to offer for another exciting season.
KTM finished their fifth year of MotoGP competition in seventh place in the eighteenth and final round of the World Championship in Valencia, and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Binder secured sixth place overall.
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Warm sunshine and a cloudless sky adorned the last MotoGP race of the year. The Circuito Ricardo Tormo welcomed over 70,000 spectators for the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana and the second event within a week.
Binder was the most progressive KTM rider on the grid, qualified in 7th and led the third row. The South African catapulted himself into the middle of the top ten, where he was able to assert himself in front of Enea Bastianini and tried to close the gap on Johann Zarco. At the checkered flag, he was just 1.5 seconds behind sixth for his thirteenth top ten finish of the year.
Brad Binder from South Africa and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing looks at the grid before the race at the Circuito de Jerez on May 02, 2021 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
Says Binder: “I’m happy with our position in the championship and the race was much tougher than I expected. I thought I was stronger and unfortunately I was missing something in some places and in some corners the gap was too big. to make up for it.
It was a tough race, but I did my best from lap one to the end. I have to go here happy because I left everything on the table. It was my most consistent year and a level up. I have to thank the team. Even though we’ve had some tough times, they never stopped working. 6th place in the championship is good, and now there are five.
Teammate Miguel Oliveira faced some adversity thanks to his 20th position on the grid, but the Portuguese drove around with the front tire with a lack of feeling to come in 14th and two points. He was just ahead of Iker Lecuona from Tech3 KTM Factory Racing in 15th place, while Danilo Petrucci finished an emotional last MotoGP outing in 18th place.
Action and work in 2021 will end with a final two-day test on the Circuit de Jerez-Angel Nieto next Thursday and Friday, where the two KTM teams will evaluate ideas and components for their 2022 setup on the RC16s.
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