Binder battles but crashes again as Acosta secures Red Bull’s best finish

Brad Binder endured a frustrating outing at the French MotoGP, crashing out of the main race at the Bugatti Circuit just as momentum seemed to be building. The Red Bull KTM rider lost control of his RC16 at Turn 14 while climbing the ranks from 13th to sixth, ultimately ending his hopes for a strong finish—and slipping further down the rider standings as a result.

Despite the high-speed incident, Binder escaped injury, with Red Bull KTM confirming his condition post-crash. However, the disappointing result adds to a difficult season for the Potchefstroom-born rider, whose championship campaign has been hampered by a mix of misfortune and mechanical struggles. In contrast, teammate Pedro Acosta salvaged the weekend with an impressive fourth-place finish, the team’s best result this year.

The race itself was eventful, with worsening rain conditions before the start forcing all riders to pit after the warm-up lap. Binder, one of 13 riders to switch back to slick tyres for the dry race, also had to serve a double long-lap penalty—further complicating his race strategy.

Binder’s French GP woes were not limited to Sunday. He crashed during Friday’s time attack and again during Saturday’s sprint race, marking three crashes in one weekend. “One of the strangest crashes I’ve had,” Binder commented, reflecting on Sunday’s incident. “The front just locked up. I felt good all day, it just didn’t come together.”

Italian veteran Johann Zarco stunned the MotoGP world by winning the race on home soil, denying Ducati a historic result and reminding the grid that surprises are still possible. While Ducati continues to dominate the constructors’ championship, Red Bull KTM’s progress has been slower, though there are signs of improvement in the RC16 setup.

Binder now finds himself 14th in the standings with 32 points, while Acosta climbs to ninth thanks to his consistent performances. Financial constraints remain a challenge for Red Bull KTM in competing with better-funded teams like Ducati and Yamaha, but both riders have shown they’re capable of fighting through adversity.

With the British MotoGP at Silverstone up next in two weeks, Binder will be eager to put this difficult weekend behind him and rediscover the form that once had him on the front lines of the title fight.

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Sourced:IOL

Picture: BradBinder33