Binder: Back-to-backs 'blessing and a curse'
MotoGP rookie Brad Binder has mixed feelings about the unique back-to-back 🤡races, planned at the same circuit on conse꧃cutive weekends in 2020.
Five such pairings feature on the revised coronavir🍌us-era calendar and the 'second 🌱chance' could help newcomers such as Binder.
On the other hand, th෴e South🤡 African expects everything to be tighter and more challenging at the follow-up event.

MotoGP rookie Brad Binder has m🤡ixed feelings about the unique back-to-back races, planned at the same circuit on consecutive weekends in 2020.
Five such pairings feature on the revised coronavirus-era calendar and the 'second chanc🙈e' could help newcomers such as Binder.
On the other hand, the South African expects everything to be tighter and more challenging at the❀ follow-up event.
"Having two races at the same track can be a blessing and a curse at the same time," Binder said. "It's awesome to be able to get that second chance at the same track and to basically redo everything. From FP1 you'll have a really good refe🌺rence alre𝔉ady from the previous weekend.
"But i🃏t's always nice to go to a track, give your all and then on Monday you kind of reset and go on to the next challenge.
"I 🌌also think it wiಞll give the opportunity for everybody to really up their level at the track. I'd expect that everybody is a little bit more on their A-game and I think it'll make things even tighter and more challenging.
"It's definitely going to be something new for all of us. But at the same time I think it can be good fo🔜r me because I'll get extra time at these tracks."
While Binder will get double time at five MotoGP circuits, as things stand, he will only get to race at eight (all European) tracks out of the original 20 venue line-up, following pre-season tests at Sepang an𝔍d Losail.
For that reaso🐠n, the 15-time grand prix winner feels like he will have two rookie seaso🎶ns in the premier-class.
"Unfortunately for me next year is going to be almost like my first season as well!" Binder explained. "Because most of the tracks I won't𓆉 have been to on a MotoGP bike - most of the overseas races, most of the t🌟racks in Europe.
"From my experience so far, 💞on a MotoGPﷺ bike the track literally feels half the size because you arrive so much faster. It's so much more challenging."
Despite the short se🔜ason, Binder believes the best man will win and that not much will change in terms of how riders approach the championship, amid some talk of 'play safe' tactics to avoid DNFs.
"At the end of the day it'🍃s just racin𒈔g," said the former Moto3 world champion. "You do your best and you're not going to do anything different.
"Every single person is out there to get the best result poss🔯ible. For sure it is a short season꧋ and mistakes will hurt you in the long run, but you can't really go into thinking about it too much.
"Whether it's 10 races or 21, the best man is going to win a൲nyway."
One thing that will be very different when the season finally begins ♛at Jerez on July 19 is the 🌊total absence of any fans.
"It's going to be strange," said the 24-year-old.
"I can't imagine stopping on the grid and not seeing one person in the stands. I think on one hand the nerves and everything will still be there but on the othe⛦r hand it's just not going to feel the same. When the engines are turned off on the grid you'll be able to hear every word everyone says!
"It'll be something🔴 new for all of us. I really h♏ope we do go back to normal soon and are allowed spectators because that's what makes MotoGP quite special, the whole vibe and everything," continued Binder, who will face no immigration issues by remaining in Europe until November since his mother is from the UK and he also has a British passport.
"It'll be challenging with the [coronavirus] protocol and how we approach the꧋ whole weekend, but at the same time I'm super excited to get started."
Binder wil🌺l be fighting Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM) and Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda) for top rookie honours this year, before being joined at the factory KTM team by Lecuona's current team-mate Miguel Oliveira inꦇ 2021.
The Portuguese has been chosen to replace the departure Pol Espargaro, thus reuniting a partnership 🀅with Binder that began in Moto3 and continued in Moto2.
"I'm really happy to be staying where I am for another season, especially considering we're only getting half a season this year," Binder said of his newly announced 2021✨ contract extension. "I think next year will be great, for sure there will be a lot of learning involved because this year has been cut short, but at the same time I'm super happy to be staying where I am."
Binder added: "Miguel and I were team-mates for the firs๊t time in 2015 and we've always worked well together. The first years I've been a little step behind but I've always got to the same level as him and we've always fought quite a lot.
"I think it's great because we really push each other on a lot. We have been the KTM boys from the beginning are now we are in MotoGP. It's really cool to see. We🃏're part of the KไTM family and that's where we plan on staying I imagine."
Oliveira isn't the only form﷽er rival t𒈔hat Binder will now face on a MotoGP machine.
"It is cool because in MotoGP for a long time there wasn't really any place for the younger guys to step up," he said. "It was almost that same crowd the whole time and I think now if I look at the list most of the guys up front ꦗare the guys I've raced against in Moto3 a🐟nd Moto2 already. So I think the younger generation is now coming through."
Revised 2020 MotoGP Calendar (including free weekends) | |||||||||
Round | Date | Race | Circuit | ||||||
| 15 July | Official Test | Jerez | ||||||
1 | 19 July | Spain | Jerez | ||||||
2 | 26 July | Andalusia | Jerez | ||||||
| 2 August |
|
| ||||||
3 | 9 August | Czech Republic | Brno | ||||||
4 | 16 August | Austria | Red Bull Ring | ||||||
5 | 23 August | Styria | Red Bull Ring | ||||||
30 August | |||||||||
6 September | |||||||||
6 | 13 September | San Marino e Della Riviera di Rimini | Misano | ||||||
7 | 20 September | Emilia Romagna e Della Riviera di Rimini | Misano | ||||||
8 | 27 September | Catalunya | Barcelona | ||||||
4 October | |||||||||
9 | 11 October | France | Le Mans | ||||||
10 | 18 October | Aragon | Aragon | ||||||
11 | 25 October | Teruel | Aragon | ||||||
1 November | |||||||||
12 | 8 November | Europe | Ricardo Tormo | ||||||
13 | 15 November | Comunitat Valenciana | Ricardo Tormo (Final European race) | ||||||
22 November | |||||||||
29 November | |||||||||
| 6 December |
|
| ||||||
| 13 December |
| Deadline for any Flyaway races. | ||||||
MotoGP 2020: List of 'To Be Confirmed' events | |||||||||
1 |
| Thailand | Buriram | ||||||
2 |
| Malaysia | Sepang | ||||||
3 |
| Americas | COTA | ||||||
4 | 22 November | Argentina | Termas de Rio Hondo | ||||||
MotoGP 2020: List of Cancelled events | |||||||||
1 |
| Qatar (MotoGP class) | Losail | ||||||
2 |
| Italy | Mugello | ||||||
3 |
| Germany | Sachsenring | ||||||
4 |
| Netherlands | Assen | ||||||
5 |
| Finland | KymiRing | ||||||
6 |
| Great Britain | Silverstone | ||||||
7 |
| Japan | Motegi | ||||||
8 |
| Australia | Phillip Island |

Pet🌜er has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront o🐈f the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.