Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were strong protagonists for the second round of 2024 MotoGP and the first event on European soil. After a comfortable entry to Q2 for both riders, Jack Miller classified 5th in the Sprint at a cloudy Algarve International Circuit in Portugal while Brad Binder crashed out at Turn 13.
The fifth MotoGP event at the Algarve International Circuit got off to a cool, cloudy and rainy start. The Portuguese asphalt was dirty and damp for the first practice sessions on Friday but soon cleared off and the riders again had to master the swirling and technical 4.5km layout.
Sandwiched between Grands Prix in Qatar (the season opener) and another trip overseas for the Grand Prix of the Americas in the USA, Portimao allowed Red Bull KTM Factory Racing to work out of their customary truck, trailer and pitbox set-up. The crew were keen to see if their recent gains with the 2024 spec KTM RC16 would suit the sweeping Algarve International Circuit curves.
Brad Binder and Jack Miller were both among the top five fastest riders on Friday morning and glided through to Q2 for Saturday. A sunny Qualifying went largely to plan for Jack who was bumped from 4th to 5th only in the last seconds of the session and acquired a slot on the second row of the grid for the Sprint (and the Grand Prix on Sunday). A slow speed tumble out of Turn 5 early in Q2 disrupted Brad’s bid for Pole and he used his second KTM RC16 to make sure of 10th.
A decent gathering of fans at the circuit on Saturday afternoon were treated to the 12-lap Sprint. Jack lunged into the lead around the opening turns and then applied his pace to the rest of the distance, exploring positions and possibilities inside the top five. He reached the line in 5th, 4.3 seconds from the winner and with five championship points for his efforts. Brad was a few slots behind his teammate but slid into the gravel after three laps as he tried to attack through Turn 13.
Jack Miller, 5th in qualification, 5th in the Sprint: “Happy-ish. We left a bit on the table and I struggled at the beginning to get the feeling into the tire and with the conditions. I made a small mistake with a mis-shift which cost me the tow with the front group but then I maintained the pace. 5th was our maximum today so we’ll have a look in the areas we can improve. I felt really good at the end of the Sprint so fingers crossed we can carry that into tomorrow.”
Brad Binder, 10th in qualification, DNF in the Sprint: “A bit of a shocker today. The crash in Q2 didn’t help and then the second bike and the configuration didn’t give me the feeling I needed. Anyway, the Sprint was going pretty well and I felt like I had the pace to pick the guys off and keep going forward but I ended-up carrying just a bit too much angle and brake into Turn 13 when I hit a bump. Not the day I was expecting but I know we’ll be in the game tomorrow.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “A strange day. We were expecting a better outcome for Brad but we have another chance tomorrow. Jack made a great start and kept the good feeling he had from Friday through qualifying and then the Sprint. We’re confident for tomorrow and in good results for both riders.”
- From KTM Factory Racing
