Brad Binder arrived at the TT Assen for the Dutch Grand Prix knowing that without track limit penalties in 2023 he would have secured two podiums in the Netherlands.
However, the 2024 version didn't go quite the same way, and KTM found itself lacking in speed compared to Ducati and Aprilia.
Ducati took the top four places at the Dutch MotoGP and would have been in the top five had it not been for Marc Marquez’s tyre pressure penalty. On Sunday, Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales was the only one able to stay with the leading Desmosedici, while the KTM riders reverted to the soft rear tyre to find speed.
But it came at the cost of longevity, and Binder, who finished the race as the best KTM rider after a late crash by Tech3's Pedro Acosta, was lamenting the lack of pace on the RC16 which made the soft option necessary for the Austrian brand's riders in order to keep up with the leaders.
“It was a very hectic race,” said Binder in his race review. “I decided to use the soft rear tyre because I felt there might be more potential to go with the boys at the front but the reality was they were able to set a very fast pace on the medium tyre and we burned the rear tyre with them.”
“It was definitely a tough task. I would have liked to have done better, but I didn’t leave any chance. We still have some work to do. I don’t feel bad. I understand the front limit and I haven’t had any crashes this week. We just need to find more speed.”
Jack Miller’s poor performances in 2024 cost him his place at KTM, with the aforementioned Acosta promoted to the factory team for 2025, and Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini brought in to fill Tech3 seats. However, Miller continues his final year in orange, and Assen has shown signs of progress, he feels.
“We improved last night and were able to get a little bit more pace and I had a good fight and gained confidence,” said Miller. “The change we made gave me more feel on the front of the bike and I’m happy with that. It’s a base level to start with and hopefully we can make some improvements.”
