KTM's Binder "not enjoying life" after 'survival' Qatar MotoGP race
Brad Binder admits he’s "not enjoying life" on the 2021 KTM currently after suffering a race of 'survival' in the MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix.


KTM struggled during testing with its new bike at the Losail circuit, with the nature of the track working against the characteristics of the RC16.
Those woes continued into the Qatar GP, with Binder qualifying down in 19th and only able to salvage 14th in the race after experiencing front tyre wear in the latter stages.
“I got a really good start, which was really positive because last year I really battled with some of my starts and we had a great one, which was great, it was so nice to see I eventually got a good start,” Binder said on Sunday.
“After that we were in the group with the guys more or less and I could see the group in front and I truly believed today was our day.
“I thought that we could be competitive and unfortunately with nine laps to go my front tyre gave up on the right side.
“I noticed I kept tucking the front and then I looked at my board and saw nine laps to go, and then I knew I was in trouble.
“So, from then on I was just trying to survive until the end.
“I mean, unfortunately it’s part of the job. I’m not enjoying life where I am right now, my team’s not having much fun at the back either.
“So, we’re in this boat together and the only thing we can do is pretty much dig ourselves out of this hole. It’s better to do it with a smile than hate life, so let’s carry on.”

Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Team-mate Miguel Oliveira showed decent race pace in Saturday’s FP4 session, but had to make his way through from 15th on the grid and had similar front tyre struggles.
Read Also:
Ending the race 13th, Oliveira believes his performance was dictated by the front tyre allocation in Qatar, with everyone forced to run the softest option due to the evening conditions – a compound the KTM doesn’t work well on.
Expressing frustration at Michelin, Oliveira said: “Unfortunately the line is so narrow between having the right tyre, the right temperature and just getting our performance right.
“To be honest, it’s really disappointing because the tyre allocation here [in Qatar] is chosen by elimination and not by choice.
“It’s not our free choice to use the soft tyre. We use it because we just cannot use another tyre.
“The combination between the carcass and the rubber from the medium tyre, it’s just wrong and we have communicated that since day one when we started testing here, and in fact nobody uses the medium.
“So, we use the hard when it’s hot and when we can use the hard we are competitive.
“So, you can understand as a tyre manufacturer we feel we should have different options available and that can actually work after these many years of experience they [Michelin] have.
“And it’s happening quite the opposite. We cannot spend time during six months developing a bike to a certain kind of tyre and just have this tyre removed from the allocation.
“So, we feel the result is not the reflection of any kind of bike issue.”
Related video

Did the Qatar GP hint at Ducati’s true MotoGP leader?
MotoGP rookie Marini “nearly forgot” brother Rossi was on Qatar grid

Latest news
How Quartararo is evoking an absent MotoGP great in 2022
OPINION: Fabio Quartararo has seized control of the 2022 MotoGP world standings after another dominant victory as his nearest rivals faltered. And he is very much heading towards a second championship echoing how the dominator of the last decade achieved much of his success
The human importance of Marquez’s latest enforced MotoGP absence
OPINION: Marc Marquez will likely sit out the remainder of the 2022 MotoGP season to undergo a fourth major operation on the right arm he badly broke in 2020. It is hoped it will return him to his brilliant best after a tough start to the season without a podium to his name. But it’s the human victory that will far outweigh any future on-track success he may go on to have
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Autosport, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock left by Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. Autosport analyses what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP’s Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How Honda's praise for its 2022 MotoGP bike has turned into doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022
Why Quartararo's Portugal win wasn't only vital for his MotoGP title hopes
Fabio Quartararo got his MotoGP title defence off the ground in the Portuguese Grand Prix as a dominant first win of 2022 rocketed him to the top of the standings. While a significant result in terms of his title hopes, it has come at an even more important time in terms of his 2023 contract negotiations
How a MotoGP legend is preparing for an unexpected comeback at Goodwood
Wayne Rainey, who’s paralysed from the chest down, will ride his 1992 500cc world championship-winning bike again at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. The American motorcycle legend explains how he's preparing to thrill on his first visit to the famed hillclimb