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Brad Binder takes the blame at the end of a race where he caused two contacts, which he then paid dearly with two long lap. The first, and most decisive, was with Luca Marini: he threw him into the gravel and forced him to withdraw prematurely. The second was with Oliveira: in an attempt to enter a corner, where the trajectories of the KTM rider and the Aprilia RNF rider ended up colliding, he sent Oliveira wide. Besides the contacts and his apologies, Binder’s performance on the Indonesian circuit was actually high level. Starting from the second row, the South African finished the race in 6th place behind Bezzecchi’s Ducati, 11 seconds behind the winner, Bagnaia, after two long laps, and getting him in front of his teammate, Miller. It’s, therefore, questionable whether the KTM rider could have aspired to a much more ambitious result on the Indonesian circuit.
“I made a mistake,” Binder said, apologetically. “I hit the rear brake trying to go wide, and I feel bad that I hit Marini and ruined his race. I apologized to him and the team for what could’ve been a great performance for them (Luca Marini then accepted his apology). Subsequently, there was another contact with Oliveira. I had little time to react, and bending inside was the only option left. I deserved both long laps, and I feel bad for both riders and their teams.”
The difference in tires may have played a role in Binder’s misjudgments.
“I had an advantage over them. I had chosen a medium for the front, while their soft ones were already worn. In Oliveira’s case, the reference I used at turn two was much further away than his. So, when he anticipated entering the corner and started braking, I saw his rear approaching quickly. I tried to get inside, and I ended up touching him.”
It seemed like you weren't sure about your choice of rear tire, up until to the last minute.
“I have to thank my crew chief. I had initially opted for the soft one. He, instead, made me try the medium entering the grid. The sensations were good, and I decided to keep it. That choice earned us today’s result.”
You apologized to Luca, and his was no longer angry, but you still had to face two long laps. Are you frustrated?
“No matter what happens specifically, at the end of the day, what matters is that, as riders, we have the responsibility not to hit anyone on the track. We have to avoid endangering others. In the morning, I my brake levers were open. I thought the problem was solved but, evidently, they reopened. I was lucky that I was able to apply enough pressure with my fingers. At these speeds, who knows what could’ve happened. It’s clear that these are things that can happen, but I can only apologize, because it’s never anyone’s intention to create situations like these that can endanger others.”
