Round eight of 2024 MotoGP world championship was the first of two Grand Prix fixtures in a row and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing closed their efforts at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands with a top six finish, courtesy of Brad Binder’s concerted push for maximum points. Jack Miller was able to complete the warm and bright 26-lap dispute with 11th position.
As is the custom in this part of the world, a large and dedicated crowd of MotoGP fans arrived to the flat and famous layout of the TT Circuit Assen for what was the 75th Grand Prix to have been held around the Dutch course. In contrast to Friday and Saturday, the weather was overcast and cool as MotoGP ignited into another ‘double header’.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing assumed 9th and 14th positions on the start grid and aimed to make their usual fiery getaways. The narrow but fast trajectory of the track demanded both stability and high agility for maximum speed and it was Binder who could find the most out of the KTM RC16 package. Choosing a soft tire option, he throttled his way into the mid-top ten and then had to maintain his pace through a long and strategic race. The South African secured nine points for 7th by the flag after a lonely outing and was elevated to 6th after Marc Marquez’s sanction. Miller, who gained some confidence through a busy scrap for top ten consideration on Saturday, had made a decent start from the fifth row and felt content with his classification of 11th.
Onto the Sachsenring, Germany next week and another Grand Prix that usually boasts a sellout attendance and with a deep legacy stretching back to the first decades of FIM World Championship history.
Brad Binder, 6th: “Quite a hectic race. I decided to go with the soft rear tire because I felt there might be more potential to go with the boys in front but the reality was that they could put down a super-fast pace with the medium and we just burnt the tire to go with them. It was tricky, for sure. I would have liked to have walked away with a better result but I left nothing on the table. We have some work to do. My feeling is not terrible. I understand the front limit and I didn’t crash at all this weekend. We just need to find more speed.”
Jack Miller, 11th: “Better. We made an improvement last night and was able to run a bit better pace and I had a nice fight and could gain confidence. The change we made gave me more feeling with the front end of the bike and I was happy with that. It’s a base level we can restart with, and fingers crossed we can still look to make some improvements.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We have some homework to do. Overall, the weekend was not too bad. Brad had a direct Q2 on Friday and a decent Sprint considering the front tire pressure. Our expectation was a bit higher for today but he struggled to run the pace of the front group. We have some useful information and we have to work very hard in the next days. For Jack, despite the position, he has the feeling that he is ‘back’. We made a strong change from yesterday and he was growing with the new set-up. Another little point where we can start again. Let’s try for more in Germany next weekend.”
Results MotoGP Grand Prix of the Netherlands
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 40:07.214
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +3.676
3. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Ducati +7.073
6. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +16.005
11. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +24.004
14. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 +42.871
DNF. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3
World Championship standings MotoGP
1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati, 200 points
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 190
3. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati, 1??
6. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 101
7. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 99
15. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 32
17. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, 15
KTM GP Academy
Moto3 scorched around Assen in close proximity, and for 20 anxious laps as the leading group rubbed elbows. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda was in the mix among a gaggle of 13 riders setting the pace for the first half of the distance. Through the final ‘attacking’ phase of the last two circulations there were some exciting maneuvers keeping the large crowd enrapt. Rueda was just adrift of the first two positions but rallied for the last podium spot. He just missed out by three tenths of a second and confirmed P4. Teammate Xabi Zurutuza rounded Assen for the first time in Moto3 and the teenager rode to 19th place after having to do two Long Lap penalties for track limits.
Celestino Vietti had high hopes of a bumper points haul from Moto2. The Italian combed the edge of the top ten through the 22-lap race and although he was pipped to the line by Senna Agius, he was awarded P10 after his rival had touched track limits. Deniz Öncü, recovering from a left hand injury, was substituted by Marcel Schrötter and the experienced German rode to 18th position despite the lack of time and mileage on the current Moto2 spec machinery and tires.
The 2024 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup reached round four (the seventh and eighth races of the season) at Assen. New championship leader Brian Uriarte claimed the first checkered flag on Saturday afternoon but it was Argentina’s Marco Morelli who emerged from the closely-match crop of youngsters to win the second dash of the weekend, for his second triumph of the campaign.
Results Moto3 Grand Prix of the Netherlands
1. Ivan Ortola (ESP) KTM 33:45.971
2. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +0.012
3. David Muñoz (ESP) KTM +2.197
4. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +2.430
5. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO +2.460
11. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +5.067
14. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +27.868
15. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO +27.940
19. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +31.102
DNF. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna
World Championship standings Moto3
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 154 points
2. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 115
3. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, 111
7. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 58
11. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS, 44
12. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 36
16. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 31
22. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 3
Results Moto2 Grand Prix of the Netherlands
1. Ai Ogura (JPN) 35:27.293
2. Fermin Aldeguer (ESP) +0.571
3. Sergio Garcia (ESP) +4.252
4. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO +8.985
10. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo +12.986
11. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna +12.945
15. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna +23.003
18. Marcel Schrötter (GER) Red Bull KTM Ajo +33.235
19. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO +33.311
World Championship standings Moto2
1. Sergio Garcia (ESP), 138 points
2. Ai Ogura (JPN), 124
3. Joe Roberts (USA), 115
12. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 44
14. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO, 33
16. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, 21
17. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO, 18
23. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 6
24. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 6