Despite KTM’s deficiency compared to Ducati in a specific aspect, Brad Binder is seen as a contender for the MotoGP championship.
Brad Binder has been positioned to battle the Ducatis for the MotoGP championship, despite his KTM trailing in a specific area.
Binder, who finished fourth in last year’s championship, secured second place in the Qatar MotoGP, the sole non-Ducati rider in the top seven.
His KTM holds a significant advantage over the Ducati but also grapples with a key weakness.
When asked if KTM could propel Binder into a title contention, Michael Laverty stated on TNT Sports: “Absolutely, 100%.
“For the KTM to outpace the Ducati on the straights here? That’s a notable advantage.
“It appears they’re exiting corners better than last year. They’re handling turns well.
“We couldn’t pinpoint where they were losing time, but Brad will be aware of the deficit.
“Whether it’s about grip or cornering? My bet is on acceleration.”
“The initial acceleration out of the corner is where Ducati excels. Their long bike design allows for effective lowering with their lowering device, coupled with a torque management system that is gentle at lower revs. It might seem counterintuitive, but it combines well with Ducati’s usable aerodynamics.
“KTM has been making progress on that front over the winter, but there’s still a bit of ground to cover.”
Binder secured second place in both the sprint and the main race at the first round of 2024, narrowly beating Pramac’s Jorge Martin in their duel to follow Francesco Bagnaia across the finish line.
“Starting the season with two second places is fantastic,” Binder remarked.
“I’m much happier with today’s second place compared to yesterday’s. Yesterday, I felt like we were lacking something, but today was much better. I knew today’s race was going to be incredibly challenging because we sometimes put a lot of strain on the rear tire.
“I needed to manage it throughout the race, keeping it as clean as possible. It was tough to stay patient because I could see Pecco right there, like a carrot dangling in front of me. The temptation to go for it was strong.
“But I knew that if I pushed too hard, I might close the gap a bit but lose time in the final laps.
“I had to be strategic. It was great battling with Jorge, and I had a lot of fun out there. Let’s see if we can make some improvements because it would be fantastic to give these guys a run for their money next time around.”
Let us know your thoughts on it in comments.
