Brad Binder says he is confident he and KTM will be the combination to take the fight to Ducati in the 2024 MotoGP World Championship after finishing as the top non-GP23/22 rider last season.
The South African was a double Sprint Race winner en route to fourth in the overall standings, the best result both he and KTM have achieved since his premier class debut in 2020.
Last season marked the progression of a notable rise up MotoGP’s hierarchy for Binder, the two-time race winner improving on the sixth place results he achieved in 2021 and 2022.
For 2024, Binder is under no illusions that KTM are strong enough to challenge for the overall title and has duly set his sights high for what will be his fifth season in the category.
"It is clear that everyone has taken a step forward,” said Binder at the launch of the 2024 KTM RC16. “I think we've taken a step, but that also applies to the other manufacturers. It's always cool to see this progress as MotoGP evolves as a whole."
“As far as we are concerned: We know what our goals are. We want to fight at the front and hopefully win regularly. That's what I want to achieve - not just me, but of course everyone at KTM. And I believe it's possible."
Setting the seventh fastest time at the first pre-season MotoGP test in Malaysia - a lap set on day two of the test, suggesting room for improvement - Binder has identified qualifying and tyre conservation as areas for improvement to get him fighting for more wins.
"If I can complete the qualifying a little better, that would be a massive relief, because it is so much easier if you already start with the two or three top guys. This is an area in which I want to improve. The second is that as a driver I want to handle my tires better.
“It is important that at the end of the race there is still just as much in our tire as with the competition, if not more. Last year, I always had the impression that we had a little more trouble.
“This is a key area I want to work on: to drive just as fast, but to protect the tire a little more. If I can do that, I am confident that I will have a greater chance of being strong and fighting at the end of the race."
