Brad Binder 6th in #ArgentinaGP and 13th for Miguel Oliveira

The first Grand Prix of Argentina since 2019 saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder dash around the flat and fast Termas de Rio Hondo circuit for 6th position on Sunday. The ultra-competitive series continues to produce new winners and podium finishers but KTM are highly placed in every championship table.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Tech3 KTM Factory Racing teams barely had time to catch their breath for the 25-lap Gran Premio Michelin de la República Argentina. Logistical difficulties for the organizers meant Free Practice and Qualification had to be crammed into a single day of activity on Saturday and saw all four KTM RC16s spread through the rows of the grid. MotoGP’s absence from Argentina for the last two years meant that three of KTM’s four riders were circulating Termas on the RC16 for the first time.

Rushed but still Ready to Race, it was Binder who made the most ground at the start and roamed inside the top ten and in a group with Maverick Viñales and Francesco Bagnaia. By the end of the distance Binder was able to attack and relegate Viñales for 6th, meaning his results read 2nd, 8th and 6th. Oliveira, who won round two in Indonesia, crossed the line in 13th having toughed-out some rear grip issues.

Raul Fernandez rode the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing RC16 to 16th position – the second-best rookie on the day – and just ahead of teammate Remy Gardner.

A relatively short trip north awaits MotoGP now as the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas will stage the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas next weekend.

Brad Binder:
“It was a weekend where I expected more but we have to keep in mind that we started in 11th position and managed 6th, so it was a decent comeback. I wanted more and I expected more but I didn’t have the pace today. Hats-off to the team because it was not an easy GP and we all did a great job considering we only had Saturday to prepare. We have some good points in the bag and brought the bike home again. There is an opportunity now to apply what I learned from this race and go even better at COTA.”

Miguel Oliveira:
“Obviously the position is not the one we envisioned but it was a tough race to manage. We had very low grip levels and clearly I did not feel as fast as I did in the practice but I was still able to score some points to the team. I think we can do a bit better in Texas. We will keep working on the bike, working on our weak points and make the most out of the package and myself.”