Binder keeps calm to win at the Ring

South African Brad Binder controlled today’s Moto2 race at the Red Bull Ring from start to finish, winning from second place on the grid over Spaniards Alex Marquez and Jorge Navarro. It was Binder’s first win of the season and the 11^thof his GP career so far.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider got the holeshot into turn one as Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and pole-sitter Tetsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Racing Team) followed. But Nagashima’s hopes of taking a debut victory were scuppered with 22 laps remaining as he was taken out by Vierge. The Japanese rider rejoined at the back of the field.

With Vierge and Nagashima out of the proceedings, Italtrans Racing Team’s Enea Bastianini was promoted to second, followed by Tom Luthi (Dynavolt Intact GP), Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Racing Team) and Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46).

Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP40) and front row starter Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) joined the large group dicing for a podium spot; the seven rider pack swapping positions regularly through the race.

Remy Gardner managed to break away to catch Brad Binder and tried to pass the South African with 10 laps remaining, but the pass didn’t stick. The two were then joined by Alex Marquez, fighting his way through from 11^th on the grid, before Gardner collided with Marquez and was sent into the gravel trap.

Bastianini and Marini both fell shortly afterwards and Marquez could not mount a successful challenge to Binder, who won by just  0.3 seconds. Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) took the final podium spot with Baldassarri and Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP40) in fourth and fifth.

British riders Jake Dixon (Sama Qatar Ángel Nieto Team) and Sam Lowes (Gresini Moto2) finished in 19^thand 24^threspectively.

Alex Marquez now leads the championship with 181 points, 43 points ahead of Tom Luthi, with Navarro in third. Binder’s victory moves him up one spot in the championship to seventh place.

Race results:

 1.   Brad Binder (SA), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 37:24.963

 2.   Alex Marquez (ESP), EG 0,0 Marc VDS, +0.330

 3.   Jorge Navarro (ESP), +Ego Speed Up, +1.839

 4.   Lorenzo Baldassarri (ITA), Flexbox HP40, +2.183

 5.   Augusto Fernandez (ESP), Flexbox HP40, +3.303

 6.   Tom Luthi (SWI), Dynavolt Intact GP, +4.645

7.   Jorge Martin (ESP), Red Bull KTM Ajo, +5.200

8.   Iker Lecuona (ESP), American Racing KTM, +5.285

9.   Marcel Schrotter (GER), Dynavolt Intact GP, +6.973

10. Mattia Pasini (ITA), Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2, +9.428

Nagashima bags career-first pole

First published August 10, 5.30pm 

Tetsuta Nagashima took his first pole position in Moto2 qualifying on Saturday. The 27-year-old narrowly beat South Africa’s Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to the top spot.

Kanagawa-born Nagashima’s lap time of 1m 28.718s was enough to see off Binder, who was 0.08s slower, as Thai rider Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) completed the front row with his best ever qualifying result.

 

Italy’s Enea Bastianini took fourth position on his Kalex bike, followed by current championship runner-up Tom Luthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Italian Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP40).

Spaniards Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) will start from seventh and eighth respectively.

Kalex riders Remy Gardner and Luca Marini rounded out the top 10, which was covered by less than 0.3 seconds.

Championship leader Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) will start Sunday’s race from 11^thon the grid, while Britain’s Sam Lowes (Gresini Moto2) and Jake Dixon (Sama Qatar Ángel Nieto Team) will start from 24^thand 27^threspectively.

Qualifying results

 1.   Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN), ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team, 1:28.71

2.   Brad Binder (SA), Red Bull KTM Ajo, 1:28.791

3.   Somkiat Chantra (THA), Idemitsu Honda Team Asia, 1:28.856

4.   Enea Bastianini (ITA), Italtrans Racing Team, 1:28.903

5.   Tom Luthi (SWI), Dynavolt Intact GP, 1:28.924

6.   Lorenzo Baldassarri (ITA), Flexbox HP40, 1:28.948

7.   Xavi Vierge (ESP), EG 0,0 Marc VDS, 1:28.956

8.   Jorge Navarro (ESP), +Ego Speed Up, 1:28.969

9.   Remy Gardner (AUS), ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team, 1:28.976

10. Luca Marini (ITA), SKY Racing Team VR46, 1:29.004

Moto2: Binder in control as day one comes to a close

Previously published August 9, 2.30pm

South African Brad Binder ended the first day of the Austrian GP at the top of the Moto2 timesheet, setting a time of 1:29.029 aboard the KTM, roughly three-hundredths of a second faster than his FP1 time.

Binder outpaced Japanese rider Tetsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) by less than 0.1 seconds, with the experienced Swiss rider and current championship runner-up Tom Luthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) in third.

Speed Up’s Jorge Navarro ended the session in fourth, the 23-year-old managing to control a huge tank slapper at turn 10 without falling off. He was followed by Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) and FP1 leader Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP40), the latter setting a slower time in the afternoon session.

KTM’s Iker Lecuona and Kalex’s Marcel Schrotter also failed to better their morning times, ending the combined standings in seventh and eighth respectively. Schrotter fell off again in FP2, at turn one, after taking a tumble in FP1.

SKY Racing Team VR46’s Luca Marini ended the session in ninth, followed by Kalex rider Somkiat Chantra.

It was a tough day for championship leader Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), the Spaniard finishing up in 15^th position. Likewise, it was a disappointing day for British rider Sam Lowes, who ended up 20^th aboard his Gresini Kalex.

Fellow Brit Jake Dixon (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team) ended the day in 28^th place.

Combined practice times:

1. Brad Binder (SA), Red Bull KTM Ajo – 1:29.029
2. Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN), ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team – 1:29.119
3. Tom Luthi (SWI), Dynavolt Intact GP – 1:29.147
4. Jorge Navarro (ESP), +Ego Speed Up – 1:29.162
5. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Italtrans Racing Team – 1:29.216
6. Augusto Fernandez (ESP), Flexbox HP40 – 1:29.264
7. Iker Lecuona (ESP), American Racing KTM – 1:29.310
8. Marcel Schrotter (GER), Dynavolt Intact GP – 1:29.336
9. Luca Marini (ITA), SKY Racing Team VR46 – 1:29.365
10. Somkiat Chantra (THA), Idemitsu Honda Team Asia – 1:29.383

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