Binder denied Moto3 victory at Qatar by smallest margin

1st Rd. Moto3 2016

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brad Binder laid the foundation for what promises to be a solid season in Moto3 when world championship competition got underway on the Losail International Circuit in Qatar on Sunday. The South African played a dominant role throughout the 18-lap race, conceding defeat by just 0.007 seconds to Nicolo Antonelli in the final dash to the line. Francesco Bagnaia took third in the closest of finishes where any of the front six riders could have been on the podium

Brad Binder:  I knew it was going to be close so I tried to lead going into the final straight and to carry on pushing. I thought I was going to have enough advantage but it wasn’t to be. This year I just want to be as consistent as possible and this is just the first of 18 races.” Binder takes over at Red Bull KTM Ajo as the lead rider in the two-man team after Miguel Oliveira’s move to Moto2. He was fast and confident all weekend and was set for a front row start after a very strong qualifying but was penalized three places for a riding infringement in the free practice. Starting from the second row, Binder wasted no time in challenging pole man Romano Fenati in the opening seconds of the race, even though the Italian KTM rider also got away at lightning speed. As the race condensed down to a contest between six riders, Binder and Fenati went on to be major players, and between them shared the lead for most laps, each taking advantage of the slipstream wherever possible. But the Italian rider lost out when he went wide in the final lap as the hunt for the victory intensified and had to settle for fourth place. The race was also an impressive debut for KTM rookie, the very fast Nicolo Bulega who is teammate to Fenati in the Sky Racing Team VR46. While he eventually finished sixth, the young upstart, regularly in the leading group of six riders in the second half of the race, was briefly in the lead in lap 15. There are 12 riders on the KTM RC250 GP in 2016 and others in the points in the opening round were Philipp Oettl (GER) at ninth, Joan Mir (ESP) 12th, Fabio Quartararo (FRA) 13th, and Binder’s new teammate Bo Bendsneyder (NED) at 14th. Next Race: April 3, 2016 - Moto GP of Argentina at Termas de Rio Hondo. Results Moto3 Qatar 20161. Niccolo Antonelli (ITA), Honda, 38:12.161 min (18 laps) 2. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +0.007 sec3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA), Mahindra, +0.148 4. Romano Fenati (ITA), KTM, +0.435 5. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Honda, +0.606 Other KTM6. Nicolo Bulega (ITA), KTM, +0.625 9. Philipp Oettl (GER), KTM, +8.611 12. Joan Mir (ESP), KTM, +12.380 13. Fabio Quartararo (FRA), KTM, +12.401 14. Bo Bendsneyder (NED), KTM, +12.72616. Maria Herrera (ESP), KTM, +12.939 17. Andrea Migno (ITA), KTM, +17.152 19. Gabriel Rodrigo (ARG), KTM, +17.451 21. Andrea Locatelli (ITA), KTM, +17.566 25. Juanfran Guevara (SPA), KTM, +32.120 Standings Moto3 2016 after 1 of 18 rounds1. Antonelli, 25 points 2. B. Binder, 203. Bagnaia, 16 4. Fenati, 13 5, Bastianini, 11 Other KTM6. Bulega, 10 9. Oettl, 7 12, Mir, 4 13. Quartararo, 3 14. Bendsneyder, 2