The MotoGP tests in Qatar started encouragingly for Brad Binder. The Red Bull KTM rider managed to mix it up with the Italian bikes to be fourth yesterday, 0.296s behind leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati).
The #33 commented on Monday’s testing at Losail: ‘The first day here in Qatar was pretty good. In the morning of course the track was a little bit sandy, but nothing out of the usual here. We were lucky that it cleaned up pretty quick and we were able to start testing well. It was a pretty decent day, honestly I can’t complain. We tried a few things, obviously not all of them were great, but it really narrowed down the things for us. At the end I was really comfortable with what I had, we’ve made a good step from where we started in the morning. Tuesday the important thing is we still have quite a bit of stuff to try, but if we can get through that hopefully finding something great. And then bring all together for the last run of the day and see where we are’.
Asked if the first day of testing in Qatar allowed to narrow down valid options, Binder confirmed: ‘I think we did a good job in Sepang to really get rid of a lot of the stuff, understand, move on and keep the stuff that worked well. This Monday we played with different configurations still and I found positives, but the big thing is that they both require different setups. So I know which direction I’m leaning towards now. […]. Honestly it has been a pretty decent day, not too bad at all. I was quite happy at the end in Sepang, I’m quite happy here. For sure we need to be faster, but I think it will come’.
Despite there still being a lot of work to do and uncertainties about the pecking order, the South African emphasized his confidence: ‘We’ve got stuff to try we haven’t tried yet, so I’m hoping it’s very good. I think we’ve made a step forward, but so did everybody. So we won’t really know where we are until the qualifying comes [at the Qatar GP]’.