Brad Binder conceded that he simply wasn’t “close enough for a send” on Francesco Bagnaia at the final bend of the Spanish Grand Prix, despite posting his best race lap.
The KTM pilot looked good to complete the Jerez sweep as he led the bulk of Sunday’s GP after securing an emphatic success in Saturdays sprint race, though was passed for the lead with just a few tours remaining by the charging Ducati of Bagnaia.
The South African was determined to not allow the reigning premier class world champion off without a fight though and tried to heap the pressure back onto the Italian, Binder recording his fastest lap of the race on the final circulation as he tried to set up a final do-or-die move into Jerez’s infamous final hairpin.
Bagnaia ultimately braked late enough to stave off a potential last gasp attack from Binder and secure supremacy, Binder admitting post-race that he was simply “not close enough for a send” and would have been “on my way to gravel” had he tried.
“I really wanted to get Pecco (Bagnaia) into the last corner and did my fastest lap of the race on the last one, but I wasn’t close enough for the send at the final turn,” explained Binder.
“I left nothing on the table, I wouldn’t have slept at night if I hadn’t tried so I was close but today we didn’t quite get the job done, but it was a good day with solid points and great to have two KTM’s on the podium.
“I would love to have added my name (to list of riders to snatch win at final bend at Jerez) but to be honest today wasn’t the day for it, I was just too far back and Pecco was in the middle of the track so If I’d gone I would have been on the inside kerb and on my way to the gravel.
“Sometimes the risk is worth it, but today there wasn’t the opportunity.”
Binder added that he was ecstatic that KTM had managed to make “such a step forward” with the RC16 that allowed him to now genuinely fight at the front of the pack having suffered a tricky 2022 term, leaving him feeling he can “fight with any of the guys” across the remainder of the year.
“If you’d told me I’d get a win and a second on Friday afternoon when we were sat in 11th place and in Q1, I’d have signed for it straight away,” continued the two-time premier class GP race victor.
“My team have done a great job and completely flipped things around for us, the bike felt fantastic from FP1 and we’ve made such a step forward.
“I feel like I can fight with any of the guys, though I made a mistake with a few laps to go that meant the gap I’d built up evaporated in one go, it was a costly error but you live and learn and we’ll keep fighting.”
