Brad Binder: “I need to go do my homework”

Brad Binder reached the finish of both races at Assen, for the first time since Jerez, but made clear that seeing the chequered flag isn’t enough.

“That doesn't mean much to me! I'd rather be fast,” said the Red Bull KTM rider, after finishing tenth in Saturday’s Sprint and eleventh in Sunday’s Dutch MotoGP.

Binder struggled all weekend with pace and front-end confidence aboard the RC16, qualifying down in 16th place and finishing as the last of the four KTM riders in the grand prix.

“I could do the same lap time almost every lap, but it was just way too slow. So really missing the speed this weekend,” he admitted. “I need to go home now and analyse where I was losing all the time. And why I was struggling so much to try and put a decent lap together.”

One major issue was front-end instability under acceleration where Binder experienced a persistent, confidence-sapping wobble.

“I think the last two tracks in particular, my biggest issue is in all the pickup zones. When I open the throttle, I start wobbling,” he said. “And when it starts, it doesn't stop until I roll the throttle.”

“You lose so much every time you do it,” he added. “But anyway, even on laps where I could keep it under control, I wasn’t fast enough.”

Binder now sits 13th in the world championship standings, with a best result of sixth so far this year.

“I need to go do my homework now and make sure I know how to be faster next time I come here.”

Factory team-mate Pedro Acosta charged to fourth place at Assen, with Tech3 KTM riders Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini fifth and ninth.