Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders head to Czech Republic for the tenth round of the year, looking to continue on from a strong first half of the season.

Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder closed the first half of the 2017 season with their best results to date: Second and seventh, respectively. This weekend they will be back onboard their KTM Moto2 bikes at Brno for the tenth World Championship round of the year. The four-week summer break has allowed the pair to rest and train as much as possible, ahead of their return to action.

Oliveira, third in the overall standings and with four podium finishes to his name, will again have victory in his crosshairs. The Portuguese was extremely close at the German GP, and was given a motivational boost with his first test with the KTM MotoGP bike on July 7th at Aragon. Ninth in last year’s Moto2 Czech GP, Oliveira’s best result at the track came three years ago in Moto3 with a seventh position.

Brad Binder used the summer break to undergo surgery on a compartmental syndrome issue with his right arm. The quickness of the operation allowed him to rest up and start his recovery quickly, and also regain strength in his left arm. Back in good shape, Binder makes his Moto2 debut at Brno this weekend. His top result at the track in Moto3 was third place in 2015.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders will start riding on Friday at the historic Automotodrom Brno. The Moto2 contest will be held on Sunday at 12.20pm local time, as the series kicks off the first of two consecutive weekends of racing.

Circuit information – Automotodrom Brno
Length: 5.403 m / 3.357 miles
Width: 15m
Left corners: 6
Right corners: 8
Longest straight: 636 m / 0.395 miles
Constructed: 1987
Modified: 1996

41 BRAD BINDER
“The summer holidays have allowed me to undergo surgery on the compartmental syndrome in my right arm -and to recover from the injury to my left arm. I have been training hard at home to try to have a good second half to the season and continue adapting to this tough class. Brno is a track I like and I’m really excited to see what it’s like to race with the Moto2 bike there. The goal for the weekend is to work hard in each session, to keep progressing and taking steps to be closer to the top positions. It will be important to have a good qualifying session so that we don’t have to fight back later in the race.”

44 MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“During the summer break I was able to test the KTM MotoGP bike, have had time to rest, to train hard and to analyse a little what we did in the first half of the season -which has been fantastic. I’m very glad to have tested the MotoGP bike, and of course it’s a day I will not forget in a hurry. I hope we can finish in the Top 5 in every race in the second half of the season. Our goal is to start consistently fighting for the podium, and if we can win a race, all the better. We are looking for the bike to work to perfection every weekend, and above all to collect information to keep moving forward. I’m very motivated to be able to fight for podiums and victories.”