Brad Binder: “I completely messed up, I would like to stop crashing”

Like Le Mans two weeks ago, the opening day of MotoGP practice in Catalunya was an up-and-down affair for Brad Binder.

The KTM rider had blistering pace when aboard his RC16 machine, however, two crashes at turn two set the South African back.

Despite damaging both bikes, Binder managed to set a time attack late on as he claimed second behind Aleix Espargaro.

“In turn one I went a bit deep and I lost the rear before I started to change direction,” began Binder. 

“It made a really big jump when I went to change and it made a really big steering lock from one to the other, then that was it. 

“The second crash I put in the hard tyre and it just wasn’t there. I was cruising so slowly but crashed anyway. 

“I’m sorry to my team because all the pressure was on them because I didn’t have a bike again. But I made it out for both runs. Hats off to my guys.

“They fixed it and are such legends. I’m super happy to have had the opportunity to put in a couple hot laps.”

Binder was also pleased by the performance shown by KTM, which hasn’t been consistent in recent rounds, especially for the factory team.

Binder added: “I felt like everything was working quite well. I didn’t put in the perfect lap by any means, but we’re through to Q2.

“I think all of us are fast and every time I came in we were all close together and at the front.

“I feel like there is zero grip out there but it’s working well for us.”

After suffering multiple crashes in recent rounds, Binder has come under some criticism.

Binder owned up to the first crash in Barcelona, calling it his mistake, but the second was circumstantial in his eyes.

Binder said: “The first crash today was 100% my fault. I completely messed up. But the second crash; what can you do?

“I put in a hard front tyre when we were nowhere near the temperature for it but I had no other tyres. I would like to stop crashing.”