Moto3: Brad Binder talks last-to-first debut win

A first grand prix win is special enough, but Brad Binder claimed his debut victory under the most unlikely of circumstances, having been demoted to 35th and last on the Spanish Moto3 grid after 'non-homologated ECU software' was found on his KTM after qualifying.

The software issue seems to have been a mix-up over the file name, rather than the actual contents of the map. Either way it left the world championship leader with a mountain to climb going into the race, which he would finish as the first South African rider to win a GP since Jon Ekerold in 1981...

Q:
Did you ever imagine that your first win would come in the way that it did?

Brad Binder:
"I had imagined that my first victory would be difficult to achieve, but I did not think I'd get it from last on the grid. I knew there was a possibility of doing it, because I had been very strong all weekend, but actually managing it was incredible."

Q:
What went through your head when you crossed the finish line?

Brad Binder:
"At first it was hard to believe. Not only because it was my first win, but because of how I did it. Once I got back to parc ferme I only thought about celebrating with my family. I have to thank my family, Red Bull KTM Ajo and Aki Ajo. It was nice that my parents could be there at Jerez too. I have no words to thank them for all the effort they have put in to make this possible. It was incredible."

Q:
Starting from last on the grid, what position would you have settled for at the beginning of the race?

Brad Binder:
"Although people may not have believed in our chances, I must say that I was very sure of myself and of the team, and I knew I could win the race. Throughout the whole weekend we did a great job, going fastest in every session except FP1 and qualifying, and showing great pace. The night before, I could only sleep for 3 hours because of how nervous I was about the possibility of fighting for my first win. After warmup, with the sanction, things got more complicated, but we knew we could do it and we were prepared."

Q:
What does it mean to be the first South African to get a win in 35 years?

Brad Binder:
"It was a great day for me, and I am very happy about it. Not just for me or my team, but also I hope it was a great day for my country. I receive great support from there and although it took a long time to get this first victory, to do it this way was spectacular."

Q:
Talk us through the race...

Brad Binder:
"I began to prepare on the warmup lap, where I looked at how to ride the first lap -which was very important. In the end I did not have a great start, but I pushed my hardest. The first three laps were very difficult, but I had a great time. We were riding at a slow pace and had around 25 riders all taking different lines. My brother almost knocked me down! [laughs] I am lucky that one of the strengths of the KTM is braking, and that helped me a lot to quickly catch the second group."

Q:
Did you not think at any time that finishing in that group would be a good result because of the circumstances?

Brad Binder:
"I found it hard to escape from that group, but I had a faster and steadier pace -and I also saw the front three pulling away, so I put my head down and pushed. I gradually cut the distance and caught them."

Q:
When did you see that you could take victory?

Brad Binder:
"Once I was up with the lead group, it took me a few laps to analyse my three rivals and see their strengths and weaknesses, but when I saw my crew members excited on the pit wall and my lap times, I knew I could go half a second faster. With 5 laps to go, I decided to escape."

Q:
Were you afraid of making a mistake after having done an extraordinary job?

Brad Binder:
"When I caught the front group it was time to make sure not to do stupid things, like pushing beyond the limit. That was clear. But I saw that I was giving 80% and had more left. It wasn't about taking a risk; it was about putting in 100%."

Q:
It was a slower race than previous years. Why do you think that was?

Brad Binder:
"I think it was a little slower than usual because the asphalt wore out tyres a lot. After the first four laps, my rear tyre was already worn, but then it kept the same condition. I could have completed ten more laps and the tyre would have been the same. That may be one reason."

Q:
And now, having taken your first win and being the World Championship leader, how are you planning the rest of the season?

Brad Binder:
"The whole Red Bull KTM Ajo team are doing a great job. The team are providing me with a bike that works incredibly well, and I feel very comfortable. The first victory has taken a weight off my shoulders because it was hard to get, but now I hope that more arrive soon. There is still a long way to go this season, so we must continue in the same way. "