Moto3: Binder gets big weekend off to flying start

Red Bull Ajo KTM rider Brad Binder has got a very important weekend off to a flying start by finishing the opening day at Aragon 0.154 clear of Andrea Migno at the top of the timesheets.

The weekend marks the first time this year that the South African can lift the 2016 Moto3 crown, with a 103 point lead over Enea Bastianini that he simply needs to defend until Sunday evening to take the trophy.

Fabio Quartararo was a surprise third, perhaps buoyed by this morning’s news that he will step up to the Mtoo2 class for 2017 with the Pons team, while Fabio Di Giannantonio, Jorge Navarro and Jorge Martin, returning from injury, making up the provisional second row.

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However, it was a disappointing opening day for many of the usual front-runners, with Enea Bastianini back in 11^th, Nicolo Bulega in 22^nd, and Francesco Bagnaia a distant 24^th.

Scotsman John McPhee was 27^th, admitting after the day’s end that he had gone the wrong way with his settings on the Saxoprint Peugeot.

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