Despite Qatar MotoGP podium 'we need to keep our feet on the ground' - Binder

Brad Binder quick to dismiss claims of a title challenge following KTM’s first MotoGP podium in Qatar; 'It’s one race. We need to keep our feet on the ground. We’re far from where we need to be still'.
Brad Binder, Qatar MotoGP race, 6 March 2022
Brad Binder, Qatar MotoGP race, 6 March 2022
© Gold and Goose

Brad Binder is not getting carr💟ied away by his brilliant start to the 2022 MotoGP season as improve🌼ments still need to be made according to the KTM rider 

What we can say about last weekend’s Qatar GP is that Binder is without question a title contender if he can keep his qualifyi♏ng improvements up and KTM continues to supply a seemingly much better bike than that of 2021.  

Speaking in the aftermath of his and KTM’s first podium at Qatar𝓰 in the premier class, Binder alluded to having much more margin to play with compared to last season, and that 'it’s a completely different motorbike'. 

Binder added: "To b🍬e honest, there are some things that are the same and some things that are completely different. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is. 

"But if we take our base setting from before compared to what we’re using now then it’s a completely different motorbike. It🌊’s clear that it’s working bette🎐r and I’m more comfortable with it. 

"I think it gives us the opportunity, especiallဣy when we have less grip or things aren’t perfect or we are struggling, we have more marg𒁏in and we don’t have to ride so on the limit. I’m really happy with how the bike is working."

While Binder was somewhat gifted second place due to💛 Pol Espargaro making a mistake at turn one with four laps remaining, the South African was never outside the top three throughout the 22-lap race. 

Binder was also helped by a fantastic start which saw him go from seventh to third by turn on🎃e, and although it wasn’t a first or second row start, it’s a considerable step in the right direction co🦹mpared to last season’s qualifying performances. 

So does that make Binder a title favourite, and more impo🌳rtantly does he view himself that way at this ea☂rly stage, well… the former Moto3 world champion still feels gains need to be made and that 'we need to keep our feet on the ground'. 

"It’s one race," added Binder. "It’s still very early days. I𓄧 think we have a lot of completely different tracks we need to go to and completely dওifferent scenarios that we’re going to face in the future. 

"We need to keep our feet on the ground. I think we’re far from where 🐻we need t🎐o be still and I’m just going to keep grinding until we get there."

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