MotoGP turned-up the heat again for the final stage of the penultimate triple-header in 2023 and the fourth Thai Grand Prix that brought the world championship into the suffocating climes of the Chang International Circuit. Around the fast 4.5km course, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing sprinted to the podium in the Saturday chase with Brad Binder registering his sixth Sprint top three of the year with the KTM RC16.
Red Bull KTM came to Thailand with positive memories of a wet weather victory last year and were encouraged after the improved performance experienced by the team in the wind-hit Australian round the previous weekend. Buriram promised vastly different circumstances for the third Grand Prix in a row with 30+degrees temperatures, roasting asphalt and hard braking and acceleration on the menu compared to the free-flowing layout in Phillip Island.
On a sunny Friday both Brad and teammate Jack Miller found lap-times to head into direct Q2 contention during the Practice session during the afternoon. In the final minutes the flying attempts hit the screens and the pair classified 9th and 13th respectively. Just half a second divided the first 18 riders! Brad was vying for a front row slot until the final minute and the last barrage of flying attempts. He finished Q2 in 5th.
Saturday dawned hot but with more clouds and the possibility of a brief shower. The MotoGP Sprint lasted for 13 laps. Brad, who qualified on the fourth row in 2022 for what was his first time here in the MotoGP class, had a view of the track from the second line on this occasion. He seared into the top four and then had to fight for most of the race distance to pass Luca Marini for 2nd place. Once through he tried to close the gap to Jorge Martin and narrowed the margin to just under a second at the finish line. The result marked the fourth time that Brad as taken P2 in MotoGP Sprints this season and he is the third most successful rider on Grand Prix Saturdays thus far.
Brad Binder
“The plan was not to come 2nd but to win today but we’ll take it. In the beginning I really struggled to get past Luca and once I’d made it I’d already used the best of my tires. It was a tricky one but my team did a fantastic job and made a good step for me this weekend; we just need that last little bit and we can do something better.”
Published by: https://bradbinder33.com
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