Brad Binder’s verdict on track limit violation and epic three-way scrap at Thailand MotoGP
Only 0.253s separated winner Jorge Martin, Francesco Bagnaia and Binder at the c🍒hequered flag after an exhilarating battle between them.
The KTM rider was forced to settle for third but played his part in a fantas꧒tic showdown against the two championship 𝐆contenders.
“I woke up this morning, saw South Africa win the Rugby 🀅World Cup, felt win-or-bust today,” B🍒inder smiled in Buriram.
“I gave it my absolutಞe best. Jorge did an unreal job. I tried to stay behind him and maintain the tyre, and did exactly that. As soon as I passed him, it dropped.
“It was tricky. On the last lap I said ‘if I am 🌸super close, I’ll put my wheel thereཧ and make it happen!’
“Going through 4, I was hotter than the last l𓃲ap, went wide and touched the green.&nb𝔍sp;
“It’s never cool to lose a spot but I’m on the podium. I gave it my all, I cannot ൲complain.
“The bigg🌳est thing I noticed? The lap I passe🍬d him was fine. It was the next one.
“As soon as I came to the left of the tyre, I would start pumping on 𓆏the straights. Also, I had ♊big vibration on the rear tyre.
“I realised I’m probably through to the base rubber. From then on, it was just survive and fight with whatever I had.ꦚ”
Binder explained his thought process during his track lim🍨it violation at Turn 4: “I tꦅried to brake late and roll through there.
“When I cracked the gas, I pulled the weight off the front tyre. I tried to square it up but it touch🐎ed the green.
“Not ideal, of cou𓆏rse. I tried to fight anyway, I tried to get past.”
Binder held realistic hopes of winning the Thailand Moto𓂃GP whꦍen he set his sights on leader Martin, as they thrillingly squabbled over the lead.
“I knew from the previous laps that my best chance w🔯as in the third sector🅠 because that’s where I had a bit extra,” he said.
“I tried but I touched the green. It wasn’t meant to ♎be.”
The future appears bright for KTM, who have largely established themselves as t𝔉he closest contenders to the domiꩲnant Ducatis this year.
“Things weren’t perfect in the race but I figured out that🌊 we’ve got some really strong po💃ints to exploit,” Binder said.
“If wꦬe can make our weak points a tiny bit stronger, we can🍃 be good.”
Bℱinder is fourth in the MotoGP standings with three rounds remaining♛.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sport🐲s for a decade cove🧜ring everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
