The British Grand Prix was dry, cold and action-packed to revive 2023 MotoGP after the summer break. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing left the wide expanses of the Silverstone circuit with a podium vibe thanks to Brad Binder’s 3rd position at round nine of twenty. Elsewhere Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Daniel Holgado also made the box in Moto3™ and Pedro Acosta now fronts the Moto2™ world championship after another podium score.
Brad Binder was one of the few riders to select a medium tire choice for the long 20-lap Grand Prix that took place under cloudy and threatening skies. The South African, who started from 10th on the grid, used the potential of the KTM RC16 race package to work up from the reaches of the top ten (caused by contact with another rider into the first corner) to be part of the quartet striving for P1. Proceedings were complicated by light showers that dowsed the first and last sectors of the hefty 5.9km layout in Silverstone but Binder – with famous previous form when it comes to exploring the limits of slick tires in rainy conditions – kept in the dispute for trophies.
Brad made his move past Maverick Viñales for P3 and defended the position and the 16 points until the flag. He was just half a second from winner Aleix Espargaro. The result delivers Binder’s second podium of 2023 and means he is 36 points from the top three of the championship standings.
Jake Miller made his now customary holeshot and led the first lap but the Australian then drifted back while searching for grip. After contact with Viñales he had to recover ground and make the flag. He persevered to take 8th by the end of play.
Home turf next! The CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich will see the Spielberg hills echo to MotoGP in two weeks.
Brad Binder, 3rd: “Really tricky, and very sketchy at the end! This track is so big and covers so much space that it was wet in some sectors and dry in others: it was hard to understand how much I could push! Hats off to the team; they did an amazing job and the bike was fantastic, I wanted the win for them today but 3rd will have to do. Days like this are awesome for a podium finish just because of how difficult it was.”
Jack Miller, 8th: “I felt like I was struggling for grip from the get-go. I just couldn’t really make it work from the start. I tried to consolidate my position and then the contact with Maverick sent me on the grass and after all the rain yesterday I just had to make sure I was going straight! I put my head down afterwards but my pace was a little off. Fortunately the rain gave me a chance to catch the boys again and we reached the top ten but it was not the way I wanted my weekend to unfold. We’ll learn from it and come back swinging in Austria.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Team Manager: “A good weekend, especially for Brad’s podium. Jack was 1st and in the leading group until the contact with Viñales. Some good speed and good signs in various conditions at this Grand Prix. Brad fought until the end of the race and we are happy with the 3rd place. It’s important to see our progression. We missed the podium in Assen but we made it here and now we are looking forward to the home race with a lot of confidence.”
Results MotoGP British Grand Prix
1. Aleix Espargaro (ESP) Aprilia 40.40.367
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati +0.215
3. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.680
8. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +9.298
World championship standings MotoGP
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 214 points
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati 173
3. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati, 167
4. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 131
8. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 90
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Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Daniel Holgado recovered from two crashes through the wet Saturday at Silverstone to take a prominent role in the frantic and gripping action in the Moto3 race. The Spaniard was one of a group larger than 15 riders to circulate the track within a second for a hair-raising Grand Prix with many position changes. He was joined by Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Deniz Öncü at the front and on the decisive final lap of 15 the Turk ran wide to miss podium contention. Holgado defended his track space with his KTM RC4 to make sure of P3 by a tenth of a second. Öncü came home 11th, three places behind consistent rookie teammate Jose Rueda who filled 8th. Fillipo Fairioli was in the second group and classified 19th.
Holgado continues to lead the Moto3 series and has a margin of 22 points. The Ajo crew now head the Teams championship.
Daniel Holgado “Wow. A difficult race for me. We had a lot of chattering on front end but I’m happy with my fifth podium and points for the championship. I need to stay focused and get ready for Austria.”
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta entered the Grand Prix nursing a painful left foot after a training spill caused a hematoma. The Spaniard was still able to keep competitive at Silverstone and his steady run to 3rd position on Sunday meant he was able to climb to the top of the Moto2 table. His advantage is a slender two points. Albert Arenas left the UK with two Moto2 points after taking 14th.
Pedro Acosta: “For sure I’m happy! The last four laps was so, so painful for me but I’m back on the podium. A big thanks to the team who worked super-happy and all the people around me. They have been pushing with me. Let’s enjoy this.”
The CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich is up next.
Results Moto3 British Grand Prix
1. David Alonso (COL) GASGAS 33:35.396
2. Ayumu Sasaki (JPN) Husqvarna +0.152
3. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.203
8. Jose Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.892
11. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +1.140
19. Filippo Farioli (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +14.167
World championship standings Moto3
1. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 141 points
2. Ayumu Sasaki (JPN) Husqvarna, 119
3. Jaume Masia (ESP) Honda, 109
5. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 99
8. Jose Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 60
26. Filippo Farioli (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3, 2
Results Moto2 British Grand Prix
1. Fermin Aldeguer (ESP) 35:37.758
2. Aron Canet (ESP) +2.546
3. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +3.883
14. Albert Arenas (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +18.835
World championship standings Moto2
1. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 156 points
2. Tony Arbolino (ITA), 154
3. Jake Dixon (GBR), 104
12. Albert Arenas (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 43