When comparing the overall times of the most recent MotoGP races with last year, KTM rider Brad Binder realizes that the competition has gained more ground
The last time a KTM won a MotoGP race was almost two years ago. Brad Binder triumphed at the Grand Prix of Thailand in October 2022. Since then, KTM has celebrated a series of second and third places on Sundays. However, there have only been victories in the sprints held since 2023. But the last sprint victory for a KTM to date was also more than a year ago
In the current 2024 MotoGP season, KTM is struggling with a problem that has not existed in previous years. They are struggling to make optimum use of the tires provided by Michelin for the RC16. Compared to 2023, the construction of the rear tire is different.
“It’s a bit tricky. We haven’t really understood how we can best use this tire yet,” says Binder and explains: “At the moment, it seems that the rear tire in our case has a more detrimental effect on the front tire than it would be an advantage for the rear wheel.”
In the three previous Grands Prix alone – the Sunday races in Mugello, Assen and at the Sachsenring – the overall time of the winner was on average 22 seconds below the winning time of the previous year. The German Grand Prix was completed twelve seconds faster, the Italian Grand Prix 25 seconds faster and the Dutch Grand Prix even 30 seconds faster.
“If you look at the overall times of the races, it looks like everyone has got faster. Unfortunately, we didn’t get as much faster as the others,” sighs KTM rider Binder when comparing with the competition, especially Ducati.
And so Binder emphasizes emphatically: “We still have to find out how we can make the best use of the rear tire. If we continue to work hard, then we will be able to win again. Unfortunately, we don’t have the necessary pace at the moment to finish first. But I’m sure we can do it again as soon as everything comes together perfectly. It’s always a combination. “