KTM official Brad Binder’s 2024 MotoGP season has had turbulent beginnings, with both remarkable highs and unsettling lows. Binder didn’t get on the podium once more although off to a solid start with two second places at the races in Qatar. Pedro Acosta, a rookie teammate, showed that the South African was still unable to reach the pinnacle by winning multiple podiums.
The KTM team director, Francesco Guidotti, acknowledged that the team did not succeed in its objective of contending for the championship this year. “To be honest, we also made small mistakes, but of course you have to know all the details,” Guidotti stated in a Motorsport-Total.com interview. “These minor mistakes demonstrated once more how high the bar is in MotoGP.Everything must be flawless if you want to succeed.”
The fact that KTM’s last Grand Prix victory was in 2021 under normal circumstances shows how difficult it is for the team to maintain its position at the top.A succession of tumbles from Jerez caused Binder’s rhythm and self-assurance to be disturbed. “The falls started in Jerez,” said Guidotti, adding that Binder’s overconfidence contributed to some of his numerous mishaps.
The season began with the release of new Michelin rear tires, which provided increased grip but also caused unanticipated vibrations. “The working window in which you need to use the tire optimally has changed significantly due to the new rear tire,” Guidotti says. Binder found it especially challenging to adjust because he had trouble striking the correct balance with his KTM.
“It took Ducati five to six years to get close to the top, then another three or four years to take the final step,” said Francesco Guidotti of KTM.
Acosta’s performance brought a fresh dynamic to KTM. Brad’s use of a KTM employee as a reference is peculiar. REMARK Guidotti: “Because he was the reference normally.” It puts additional pressure on you to perform better when someone with Acosta’s youthful potential is around to surpass you.
In spite of the difficulties, Brad Binder and the KTM team are unwavering. Positively, the fall rate in South Africa has recently declined. Guidotti observes, “Assen, Sachsenring, and Mugello had none.” Acosta and Binder are in sixth and seventh place in the championship rankings, with Acosta marginally ahead of Binder.
With the aim of closing the gap with the current MotoGP benchmark, Ducati, KTM is still working on its development. Guidotti makes a comparison: “It took Ducati five to six years to get close to the top, then another three or four years to take the final step.”KTM intends to ascend via a comparable route.
Brad Binder’s 2024 season hasn’t gone well so far, but the team’s ongoing efforts and positive developments in KTM suggest that things could get better in the second half of the campaign.
