The penultimate round of a long MotoGP season and a relentless second phase of the campaign saw Brad Binder take his KTM RC16 to 5th position through the Qatari night air and at a glistening Lusail International Circuit. The South African pushed to the limit to rise as high as 3rd and then had to nurse his front tire to the top five. The second event of the final triple-header also saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jack Miller earn a creditable 9th on a difficult track for consistent grip and performance.
- In the three-race Malaysia-Qatar-Spain run, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing make more progress and bag Grand Prix points at what was a tricky circuit for the team
- Thanks to points in the Saturday Sprint and on Sunday, Brad Binder is confirmed as the 4th best rider in the world championship standings for 2023; his top ranking in his fourth season in the premier class
- Jack Miller rides to his twelfth top ten result of his first season in Red Bull KTM colors and with a hard battle to make sure of 9th by the end of the 22-laps
- Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Deniz Öncü recovers brilliantly to finish 3rd on the Moto3™ podium and in a first three divided by less than two tenths of a second
- 2023 Moto2™ world champion Pedro Acosta takes 8th in another excellent year for Red Bull KTM Ajo who confirm their fourth Teams title in the category and third in a row
The immense lighting system, the remodeled infrastructure and presentation, the fast, flowing and challenging 5.4km, 16-corner layout, the desert setting and nighttime spectacle: very few events have the look, feel and character of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull KTM already had a taste of the unique grip but high abrasion demands of the Lusail tarmac on Saturday but the 22 laps of the full Grand Prix on Sunday was another task.
Brad Binder and Jack Miller set off from 10th and 15th places on the grid and hopeful of mods for optimum performance throughout the 22-laps. It was Binder who was unsurprisingly higher up the order in the opening exchanges as Miller strived to regain places and mileage to near the top ten. Brad pushed and probed his way into 3rd and then valiantly tried to hold the slot as his front tire grip began to fade. He ended the race 5th and less than three seconds from the third step of the podium. Jack set some of his hottest pace of the weekend to close down riders and make moves up to 9th.
When the checkered flag waved, and fantastic LED displays started to flicker Binder’s 11 points further hammered home his 4th place for 2023 while Miller’s standing of 11th in the championship can still be converted into 9th. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are likely to confirm 4th in the Teams standings while KTM hold 2nd in the Constructors contest.
The Circuito de Ricardo Tormo brings the 2023 season to a conclusion where KTM’s MotoGP adventure began with a wildcard appearance in 2016, where they celebrated their maiden podium in 2018 and where Binder achieved runner-up distinction in 2022. Valencia is once more the scene for the final Grand Prix of the year and the latest ever finale to the world championship. Round twenty takes place next weekend.
