Aug172021August 17, 2021August 25, 202119Commentsby Jen Braithwaite

BRILLIANT BINDER’S WILD WET WEATHER VICTORY IN AUSTRIA

Posted in Racing

KTM’s home track, the Red Bull Ring in Styria, Austria, recently played host to an incredible double-header for rounds 10 and 11 of the 2021 MotoGP™ Championship. The second of those race weekends saw one of the craziest races in recent memory take place, as the rain began to fall in the closing stages and flag-to-flag tactics came into play. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder took a chance by staying out on slicks in the rain, as his competitors pitted for wet tires; the 26-year-old racer went on to carefully steer his KTM RC16 to a sensational victory – which was even more of a spectacle thanks to the return of the biggest fan attendance at a MotoGP™ race since the pandemic began. The victory is KTM’s fifth and Binder’s second in the premier category.

Binder celebrates his second and KTM’s fifth MotoGP victory
PC @PolarityPhoto

“That was really scary!,” said Binder after the race. “When I saw the rain coming I was trying to work out how many seconds I could lose per lap and when the others went in I decided to take the gamble. I could push hard on the first lap but then the rear tire started to slide as the temperature cooled. Then I lost the carbon brakes!”

“Wow, I think there was someone up there holding me up today because there were a couple of moments when I thought it was over. Here in front of the fans and the home race for KTM and Red Bull I felt like I had to take the gamble. To win today is insane,” concluded Binder.

Binder battles the rain to take the victory in Austria
PC @PolarityPhoto

The final four laps of the 28-lap race were as nail-biting as they get – as Binder explained, the KTM racer ran off track and explained how he lost the use of his brakes at times, but as he calculated the gains he could make by not switching tires, the South African’s tenacity paid off. A victory in front of KTM’s home fans triggered wild celebrations in the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pitbox. It certainly was a race and weekend to remember. Here at the KTM Blog we celebrate Binder’s victory with 12 images from that special race in Austria.

Binder was in sixth place as the rain started to appear
PC @PolarityPhoto
The Orange fans were out in force to cheer on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team
PC @SebasRomero
Binder steered his KTM RC16 expertly in the rain on slick tires
PC @PolarityPhoto
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team celebrates Binder’s sensational victory
PC @PolarityPhoto
The South African racer’s second career MotoGP victory was in front of KTM’s home crowd
PC @PolarityPhoto
The Austrian Grand Prix was the second of a double-header at the Red Bull Ring
PC @PolarityPhoto
Brad’s calculations paid off for a race win
PC @PolarityPhoto
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team celebrates in Austria
PC @PolarityPhoto
Brad Binder and his KTM RC16 at the Austrian Grand Prix
PC @PolarityPhoto
The full scale of the sea of orange celebrating Binder’s victory, which was made sweeter by having fans back at the track
PC @SebasRomero
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