‘Strangest crash ever’ for KTM’s Brad Binder in French MotoGP sprint

Factory KTM MotoGP rider Brad Binder says he was taken out of the sprint race at the French Grand Prix by “the strangest crash I think I’ve ever had”.

The South African narrowly missed out on a Q2 place in qualifying on Saturday, but was battling for the top five with KTM stablemates Pedro Acosta and Maverick Vinales in the early laps having come from 13th on the grid.

But on lap four at Turn 9 his sprint came to an end when he was flicked from his RC16.

Brad Binder later explained that he locked the front under braking but was felled by the rear coming round as he tried to get into the corner.

“It was the strangest crash I think I’ve ever had,” he told MotoGP’s official website.

“I braked up straight and I locked the front up straight, but normally you have little locks and then it comes straight again.

“But I locked and it just didn’t come back. I was trying to pick the front up, but the rear kept coming around and then it gave me a little small highside thing.

“But it was just enough to throw me down.

”Not ideal. Honestly I felt really good, even in qualifying I felt pretty good and obviously I just didn’t go quick enough to get through.

“But the feeling is there, I had a good start and thought I could have fought with my two team-mates.”

Pedro Acosta ‘doesn’t need to think about’ French GP sprint crash

Both factory team KTM riders went down during Saturday’s 13-lap sprint, with Pedro Acosta crashing at the penultimate corner on the last tour while running fifth.

He was classified 19th in the end, but isn’t letting the crash detract from the strong pace he showed on an RC16 more in line with what Maverick Vinales has been racing recently.

“Well, today we don’t need to think about the end of the race because we need to take the small good things around the race,” he said.

“The bike was working quite good, also the battle with Maverick was quite nice.

“At the end we were just catching back the group fighting for the podium.

“It’s true that still we’re struggling in the first laps - not just myself but all the KTMs. But anyway, we need to be happy because the pace was there.”