KTM sa🐷ys an “electronics malfunction” ended Brad Binder’s podi💮um hopes in the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday.

The South African qualified his RC16 fifth on the grid and was running inside the pod𓂃ium battle in fourth in the first laps of the sprint at Motegi.

However, on lap three Binder slowed up and was forced to retire his bike with what was later diagnosed as a mystery electronics proble🐼m.

“We have identified that t🀅he issue was caused by an unexpected 'electronics' malfunction,” a statement from K❀TM after the race said.

“This, in turn, affected the engine's performance. The team is already worki🥂ng hard to figure out exactly what happened to ensure this won't occur again.”

Bin🤪der added: “It was cool to be ⛄on the second row.

“I🦩 got a decent enough start and at the beginning I was just trying to figure everyꦛthing out.

“But a couple l💙aps ꦉin unfortunately we had a small electronics malfunction and that was unfortunately my race over. That’s racing and luckily we have tomorrow to try again.”

Team-mate Jack Miller ended up as the top KTM rider at the chequered flag in the sprint in eighth, af𝓰ter Tech3’s Pedro Acosta crashed out of the lead on lap nine of 12.

The Austral🌊ian was embroiled in a good scrap for the final points paying positions, but was hindered by his soft rear tyre dropping off earlier than he expected.

“Was happy enough at the beginning of the race, then kind of suffered a little bit,” Miller told motogp.﷽com.

“Just the drop c♑am♐e earlier than I anticipated in the last runs.

“I don’t knꦰow if it was the cooler conditions, or whatever. But I was able to hold my position more or less to the last laps.

“Had a little fight there with [Marco] Bezzecchi, but unfortunatel✤y I knocked him a lit🏅tle bit and allowed Alex [Marquez] though.

“But anyway, happy to get some points today and looking for♑ward to tomorrow.

“Hopefully we can find another step and go with that next group. Fraꦆnkie [Morbidelli] and [Fabio] Di Giannantonio were there for the bဣeginning of the race and it would be really nice to run that pace.”