Red Bull KTM Factory Racing obtained two points-scoring performances to close the MotoGP season in fine style at the twentieth and last round of the year at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Brad Binder raced the KTM RC16 to a brilliant 6th place from P18 on the grid and finished top five for 2024. Jack Miller scored 13th as KTM is confirmed as the second-best Constructor. Meanwhile the KTM GP Academy sealed the campaign with a best result of 4th by Jose Rueda Antonio in Moto3™ and with Celestino Vietti 7th in the Moto2™ championship for Red Bull KTM Ajo.
Sunshine blanketed the 14-corner layout outside the Catalan capital and the Grand Prix arranged in solidarity for the flood victims of the Valencia region; home of the last round that was cancelled just over two weeks ago. Binder and Miller both had their work cut out with grid slots of 18th and 19th but Brad had already made a nine position gain to grasp the last Sprint point on Saturday and edge to within two points of 5th in the championship standings.
The Grand Prix ran for 24-laps on Sunday afternoon and both Binder and Miller could rely on the usual starting prowess of the KTM RC16 package. Grip and traction were issues that had to be managed across the notoriously slick Catalan asphalt.
Binder ended the first lap already inside the top ten. Miller gained ground to 15th. Brad fought hard and grabbed more positions as he extended his race pace while others suffered with grip. He reached 6th and was just 7 seconds away from the winner. Jack also combed the limits and banked 3 points for 13th.
Red Bull KTM drew a line under their eighth year in the premier class with a podium trophy and a top five finish in the championship as well as standing P2 in the Constructor’s contest. 2025 testing begins on Tuesday with Pedro Acosta stepping into the crew alongside Binder.
Brad Binder, 6th: “I was happy with today’s race. I knew it was really important to get the tire until the end so I tried not to get too carried away at the beginning. I was quite pleased; I would have liked to have been a bit further forward but coming from 18th it is hard to ask for much more. Thank you to my team. It’s been challenging this year but we always tried to make the best of every situation and to finish 5th in the championship is cool.”
Jack Miller, 13th: “I had a good start, settled in there and the tires stayed good but I just couldn’t push much and got stuck behind some guys. We signed-off by finishing the race and putting some points on the board. I think both KTM and I wanted more but I gave my all from the first laps of testing until the last laps today. Onto the next chapter.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “A strong way to finish the season: 6th place in the race and 5th in the championship. Our initial target was different but we have to be happy. Jack had good race pace today but starting from the back of the grid meant it was hard to recover and gain more. I would like to thank the riders, the technicians and all the team staff for the season. It was a challenge, but we made some progress and we’re looking to Tuesday to start the next one.”
Results MotoGP Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 40:24.740
2. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati +1.474
3. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +3.810
6. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +7.081
10. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS +10.618
13. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +14.560
19. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS +29.145
Final World Championship standings MotoGP
1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati, 508 points
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 498
3. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati, 392
5. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 217
6. Pedro Acosta (ESP) GASGAS, 215
14. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 87
20. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) GASGAS, 27
KTM GP Academy
Jose Antonio Rueda and Xabi Zurutuza were joined on the KTM RC4 in Barcelona by 2024 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion Alvaro Carpe as the young Spaniard made his Grand Prix debut. Rueda was trying to lock away a top-seven championship finish (in a second Moto3 season that has included his maiden Grand Prix victory) and bustled his way into the group during the first stages of the 18-lap race. Two seconds split the first ten runners and Jose Antonio was firmly in the mix. After the bumping and barging, Rueda passed the line in 5th and was elevated to 4th after post-race penalties. The points ensured P7 for the season. Zurutuza finished 22nd and closed a debut year with 23rd place for the season and a best result of 8th. Carpe, who will join the team next to Rueda for 2025, was 19th.
In Moto2 Celestino Vietti has qualified only a few tenths from Pole Position and lined up on the third row in 8th. Deniz Öncü could not escape out of Q1 and started 20th for the 21 laps and with hopes of bringing a bright but eventful first season of progress in the intermediate class to the flag. Vietti probed for possibilities with the leaders on the first lap but was hit by another rider while braking for Turn 1 at the start of lap two and was sent out of the race. Öncü was lucky to stay onboard in the same incident but then ran wide of track limits and was penalized with a Long Lap. The Turk kept going and took the flag in 22nd, later raised to 21st upon an infringement from another rider. Vietti and Öncü confirmed 7th and 20th positions in the championship.
Results Moto3 Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 32:27.723
2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +0.147
3. Angel Piqueras (ESP) Honda +1.210
4. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +1.352
8. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +2.025
10. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +2.713
13. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +10.823
19. Alvaro Carpe (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +13.437
22. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +16.645
Final World Championship standings Moto3
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 421 points
2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, 256
3. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 242
7. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 157
14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 91
15. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS, 66
17. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 45
23. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 13
Results Moto2 Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona
1. Aron Canet (ESP) 36:29.282
2. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) +0.091
3. Diogo Moreira (BRA) +1.124
7. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO +5.647
12. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna +14.733
15. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna +16.476
21. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +29.727
DNF. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo
DNF. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO
Final World Championship standings Moto2
1. Ai Ogura (JPN), 274 points
2. Aron Canet (ESP), 234
3. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP), 195
7. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 165
8. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO, 155
17. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO, 69
18. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, 67
19. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 55
20. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 49