Binder expects physically demanding MotoGP debut at ‘toasty hot’ Jerez
Brad Binder says he is ready and prepared to get his belated rookie MotoGP season underway after a delay of four months on the factory KTM, even if scorching temperatures in the south of Spain are likely to pose a further challenge.
It’s been an eventful 12 months for the South African who after originally being signed to Tech 3 KTM for 2020, was upgraded to the factory seat ahead of the season in the wake of Johann Zarco’s premature departure from the Austrian firm’s set up.
Though his race debut was pushed back until this weekend’s opener in Jerez, Binder has already been re-signed to keep him at KTM until the end of 2021.
Allowing him to fully focus on the job in hand, the 2019 Moto2 runner-up insists he is as ready as he wants to be even if he admits the 50-degree temperatures in Spain are set to make it a physically demanding return to action this weekend.
“It was toasty hot - this morning it was pretty normal and I felt pretty good and in the afternoon I did a fifteen lap run and it was definitely really physical and hard on the body. I had some issues and messed up quite a lot of laps which didn’t help.
“In general it’s tough and coming from Moto2 it’s a massive step and to have this heat on top of things is something I need to get used to. It is a lot more physical on my arms for sure and in general it’s a physical race track.
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“The main issue was that I was struggling to stop the bike. We had some ‘stopability’ problems before the long run and when we put in the medium rear that we’d use in the race it just made it more difficult to stop the bike.
“Especially because of that I spent a lot of time at the side of the track. Other than that it was good. It was nice to do a good few laps in a row just to get comfortable and to get an idea of what Sunday is going to be like.
Returning to the track today for the first group test since February ahead of the opening round, Binder was a solid 13th fastest on the KTM RC16 and the highest-placed rookie.
“I expect to learn a lot this weekend and to get my first grand prix race under my belt is the main goal. That’s what’s needed right now. From then on, we can really see where we are and build from there. I have made good steps forward and I am much more ready for the first grand prix.
“These couple of extra tests we have had along the way have worked out well coming here. All-in-all it would have been nice to have had half a season already but that’s not the case.”
