Binder had “every rider’s worst nightmare” in Bagnaia Catalan MotoGP crash

Championship leader Bagnaia crashed exiting Turn 2 on the opening lap of Sunday’s race while leading, when he was ejected from his Ducati.

Landing heavily in the middle of the track, Bagnaia ended up in the path of KTM’s Binder, who could do nothing to avoid striking the Italian’s leg.

Bagnaia is currently in hospital having checks on his leg, having seemingly escaped suffering any fractures despite the impact.

Explaining the incident, Binder – who retired from the restarted grand prix with a technical issue – said: “I went to see Pecco, he seemed ok.

“The trickiest part is to just get back on and carry on. The good thing is I saw him move, so he was moving and I knew I just clipped his leg – or legs, I don’t know – but I knew I got over enough to [where] at least I never hit him square.

“But at the end of the day, it’s every rider’s worst nightmare… well, to see someone there is scary, but to be the one who hits them is even more shit to be honest.

“I’m just really glad, ok I don’t know if he’s ok ok, but he’s fine.

“So, I went to see him at the medical centre and he seems hundreds.

“I just don’t know if he maybe has something with his leg or legs. When I walked in there, I was not expecting to see him chilling. He seemed ok.”

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team crash

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Binder added: “I saw nothing. I had two bikes there [in my vision], so by the time I saw something it was the motorbike and him.

“And it was Miguel [Oliveira] and I think Maverick [Vinales]. So, I was in the centre of these two. So, not fun.”

The Binder/Bagnaia incident happened seconds after Enea Bastianini triggered a pile-up involving several of his Ducati counterparts, with the Italian suffering leg and hand fractures.

This is the second year in a row there has been a major pile-up at Turn 1, after Takaaki Nakagami took out Bagnaia and Alex Rins in 2022 on lap one of the Catalan GP.

Binder believes this is just the nature of this corner, noting: “The thing is in Barcelona, the Turn 1 has a bit of a kick to it.

“If you are one metre more to the right, that becomes a hell of a lot tighter and lines can collect each other.

“That’s the problem with this start. I think it’s just the character of the corner really, it just pulls you in.”

Binder’s non-score has damaged his championship hopes, dropping him 94 points behind Bagnaia now. However, this was of little concern to him on Sunday.

“My only priority today was that I never hurt anyone. Of course I hurt him but not hurt-hurt. It is what it is.”