The vast orange grandstand on the outskirts of Turn 6 at the Red Bull Ring cranked up the volume for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and for Brad Binder in particular as the South African ran to a top five result at the eleventh round of 2024 MotoGP. #33 shone on home turf but KTM RC16s grabbed points with four motorcycles in the final top fifteen after the 28-lap race.
Three Red Bull KTM RC16s in the top nine after the 14-lap Saturday Sprint gave the factory quiet hopes for more points and possible prizes at their home Grand Prix. Heavy showers and thunderstorms cleared the thick summer air on Saturday evening and the main event got underway dry and warm on Sunday afternoon.
Jack Miller, who’d qualified 5th, made a better job of his start from the second row compared to his launch on Saturday and was quickly into the hunt for the prime space outside the podium spots. Tire conservation was key for the 28-lap distance and this factor influenced the progress of Brad Binder who worked his way from 12th to his teammate’s exhaust trail in the opening exchanges. Pol Espargaro was also keen not to be caught adrift and had plenty of testing mileage at Red Bull Ring to call upon with his latest spec of the race motorcycle.
By the end of the chase it was Brad who prevailed, marking a top five after a typically demanding Grand Prix outing (he is now back to 6th in the championship standings). Espargaro banked reams of data and knowledge in acute race conditions and in his quest for the top ten, eventually finishing 11th while Jack slipped out of the top half of the leaderboard with a small crash into Turn 2a. He was able to remount and made the line in 19th.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will be able to apply their confidence and information gained from a busy Austrian fixture to round twelve in two weeks’ time around the weave of the MotorLand Aragon layout in eastern Spain.
Brad Binder, 5th: “I can’t ask for more from today. I gave my best from beginning to the end and tried to not make mistakes and set my own rhythm without murdering the tire! We managed to get home with it in quite a good state. Top five; I wanted a bit more for the home Grand Prix but we figured some good things out this weekend so let’s keep building from here. I think we’ll be OK in Aragon and I’m hoping for a good result.”
Pol Espargaro, 11th: “I hoped to be a bit faster this weekend because we’d had such good pace in the tests but there were factors like the extra rubber on track and also the racing situations to deal with and the front tire pressure. For the race I’m not too satisfied but for my ‘normal’ job we were able to learn more about the bike – that is at a very high level – and the vulnerabilities and where we can improve. We still have more testing work to do at other circuits and then hand the bike over to the factory riders to see that they think.”
Jack Miller, 19th: “Not the way we wanted the day to go but I got away with a better start and we went with a softer map today. I was nursing the bike at the beginning and I was sacrificing a little bit but I was comfortable. The crash was a small mistake. I came in a little hot and I don’t know if I hit a bump but it started bouncing and put me down. After that I put in a soldi race and a lot of good laps considering. So, it was a ‘what could have been…’ because the pace was good. I just wish I could have been with the boys I was fighting with.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Overall we have to take the good parts of the weekend. Today Brad was simply great. He didn’t make any mistakes and had a great start from the fourth row. He gave all he had. We know his race attitude and showed what he was able to do. We were happy to have Jack back near the top, despite the little crash. He had an outstanding qualifying and was 5th yesterday. He can still deliver some good results for the team. Pol did a great job and what he did this weekend was very useful for the team for the development. The result were also solid! Moving from the microphone to the handlebar is not easy at this level and it also means the competitiveness of the bike is encouraging. We are working strongly, and I want to thank all the fans at our home race and all of the company staff and management that came to cheer us around the track and in the garage. Our mission is to grab some different results now and be back.”
Results MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 42:11.173
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +3.232
3. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Ducati +7.357
5. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +18.620
11. Pol Espargaro (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +30.526
13. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS +33.736
15. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS +36.522
19. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +44.134
World Championship standings MotoGP
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 275 points
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati, 270
3. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Ducati, 214
6. Brad Binder (RSA) KTM, 128
7. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS, 125
15. Jack Miller (AUS) KTM, 47
17. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS, 16
KTM GP Academy
20-laps of Moto3 excitement, bedlam and close-quarters competition came down to a pivotal final two circulations. Red Bull KTM Ajo hopes for Jose Antonio Rueda hinged on the Spaniard’s talent and potential shown through the rest of the weekend that saw him start from a second row slot on the grid. Rueda was part of a seven-rider pack pursuing the win but he could not hang onto the slipstream of the leaders and passed the flag in 7th. Xabi Zurutuza rode smartly on Saturday to post the 11th fastest lap and for one of his best qualifying performances of his rookie season to-date. On Sunday Xabi had to serve a Long Lap penalty for exceeding track limits and ranked 18th.
Celestino Vietti signaled his intent for Moto2 by recovering from a crash on Friday at the Red Bull Ring to grab his second Pole Position from the last three events on Saturday. The Italian powered into the reckoning and was never headed, earning his first win for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team by almost two seconds and going 2-in-a-row at the circuit. The team welcomed Deniz Öncü back into the fray and where the Turk had enjoyed success previously in Moto3. Deniz qualified with aplomb in 14th and less than half a second from Pole Position. He then battled for the top ten in his first race back since injuring his left hand and confirmed 11th (his best classification of his rookie season).
On Sunday morning the second race of the meeting for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup took place. Spaniard Alvaro Carpe had triumphed on Saturday and gathered a slender two-point lead in the championship as a result. It was Carpe again who grabbed the flag and by just 0.2 of a second from Maximo Quiles. The win allowed him to stretch his margin at the top to 24 points with events in Aragon and Misano left to go.
Celestino Vietti: “Unbelievable because on Friday I had a big crash and hurt my hand but we kept working every session. I made a little mistake today which was a bit scary but I did a good job and I’m happy for the team at their home Grand Prix.”
Results Moto3 British Grand Prix
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 33:40.607
2. David Muñoz (ESP) KTM +0.121
3. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +0.126
5. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +0.303
7. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +2.790
12. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +8.447
14. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +11.704
18. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +19.272
25. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO +30.457
World Championship standings Moto3
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 224 points
2. Ivan Ortola (ESP) KTM, 153
3. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, 149
4. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 142
8. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 74
13. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 48
14. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS, 46
15. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 41
22. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 3
Results Moto2 Austrian Grand Prix
1. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo 36:22.427
2. Alonso Lopez (ESP) +1.850
3. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO +1.974
7. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna +12.514
11. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +13.872
12. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO +14.336
15. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna +18.121
World Championship standings Moto2
1. Sergio Garcia (ESP), 162 points
2. Ai Ogura (JPN), 142
3. Joe Roberts (USA), 130
6. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 96
7. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO, 94
15. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, 33
16. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 25
17. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO, 25
23. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 11