Binder: My mistake, unfortunately it cost Jack as well

MotoGP rookie Brad Binder took full responsibility for his opening lap clash with Jack Miller at Aragon on Sunday.

The factory KTM rider, who qualified alongside Miller in 15th place, hit the back of Miller's Pramac Ducati on entry to Turn 2, taking them both out of the race.

Jack Miller, Brad Binder, Teruel MotoGP race. 25 October 2020
Jack Miller, Brad Binder, Teruel MotoGP race. 25 October 2020
© Gold and Goose

MotoGP rookie Brad Binder took full responsibility for his opening lap clash with Jack Miller at Aragon on Sunday.

The factory KTM rider, who qualified alongside Miller in 15th place, hit the back of Miller's Pramac Ducati on entry to Turn 2, taking them both out of the race.

It was the second time this season that Binder has brought another rider - and another friend - down in the opening turns, having clipped Miguel Oliveira at Jerez, and he was later given a Long Lap penalty by the FIM Stewards for the next race at Valencia.

"I had an okay start, got up on the inside in Turn 1, when I changed direction for Turn 2 I was coming into the corner like it was a regular lap and not taking into account that of course it gets a bit bunched up and the speed dies," explained Binder, before being notified of his Valencia penalty.

"I think one of the reasons that really put me in that position at Turn 2 was that I got right over the inside kerb at Turn 1, so I really came into Turn 2 carrying a lot of speed because I'd prepared the entry a lot.

"But I didn’t take into account that a lot of guys were on the outside kerb at Turn 1. So of course into Turn 2, they were off the throttle and I was going in there as if it was a normal lap. That's pretty much the beginning of the end of me.

"So a big mistake on my behalf again and I'm really sorry to wipe Jack out at the same time.

"It's the second time I've done it this year, so it really, really sucks. Sorry to everyone at Pramac and Jack for messing up their race."

Miller was seen asking Binder what had happened as they stood in the gravel trap immediately afterwards.

"All I can say is 'sorry bud'. There's not so much you can say after an incident like that. I mean it was clear as daylight it was my mistake and unfortunately it cost someone else a race as well," Binder said.

"I don't know if it's a good thing or bad thing, but both times this year I've wiped out friends. It always makes it a lot easy to say sorry because you're mates, but at the same time it really, really sucks.

"It was nice of Jack to be super chilled about it, but I hope I never do that again."

The early exit denied Binder a chance to be part of a big step forward relative to last weekend by fellow KTM riders Pol Espargaro (fourth) and Miguel Oliveira (sixth) and Iker Lecuona (ninth).

"One great thing that I could see was that our bikes were much more competitive, I mean if you saw how well Miguel and Pol managed to come through and they looked really strong from beginning to end," replied the Brno winner, when asked for his impressions of the Aragon race.

"Last week we were quite far away from a setting that I think everyone was happy with, to say the least, but KTM worked really well as a group, trying different things on everyone's bikes and at the end of the day it turned into a fourth and sixth. Much better compared to last week when all of us were outside the top ten."

The South African added: "We just made the bike a little bit better for the way it naturally turns, so once you put the bike on angle it would just come to the apex much better and to make it a lot easier to stand the bike up and get out of the corners.

"In general that's the main thing that we improved and it just made things a lot easier to do a race simulation or over a race distance because it's [not] hanging on the edge of the tyre so much and just smoking the rear tyre.

"It's funny because in warm-up even though my position wasn't good, my in-lap after the flag was going to be four tenths quicker than my quickest time in warm-up.

"I don't know why but for some reason I felt like we found something and I felt really good and I really believed that even starting 15th wasn't going to be a problem today.

"All I can say is that I was just to over-eager at the beginning to really try and make up spots and a bit too narrow minded going into Turn 2."

Binder starts the final three rounds holding twelfth in the world championship and equal on points with fellow rookie Alex Marquez, who also crashed out at Aragon.

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