Red Bull KTM Ajo takes victory on final lap at Brno, and is the new Moto2 World Championship leader. Brad Binder achieves a hard fought sixth position.

Miguel Oliveira enjoyed an historic day at Brno to start the second half of the 2018 Moto2 season, claiming his second win of the year and moving into first place in the overall standings. His teammate, Brad Binder, placed sixth in a successful race for Red Bull KTM Ajo.

Although he would win the race, it was not an easy 19 laps for Oliveira. The Portuguese started from fourth on the grid, and was part of a group of nine riders in the early stages. After momentarily taking the lead on Lap 7, Oliveira dropped back before attacking again with three laps to go. The victory would be decided on the final lap, as he held off Luca Marini to take the chequered flag first.

Brad Binder also made a good start, gaining two places and concluding the first lap in fifth position. From there, he was towards the back of the first group, before losing them with seven laps remaining. He would eventually place sixth.

The result for Oliveira means that he tops the overall standings with a 2 point advantage -the first time a Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 rider has occupied the spot. Binder is fifth with 101 points.

Results (Race)
1. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 39:22.324
2. Luca Marini (Kalex) +0.070
3. Francesco Bagnaia (Kalex) +0.525
4. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Kalex) +0.745
5. Xavi Vierge (Kalex) +3.362
6. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +3.643

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2018
1. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 166 points
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Kalex) 164 points
3. Alex Marquez (Kalex) 113 points
4. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Kalex) 106 points
5. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 101 points

Aki Ajo – Team Manager
“It’s a great feeling that we have today. We went into the summer break with a victory for Brad Binder at Sachsenring, and we’ve started the second half of the season with a victory for Miguel Oliveira here at Brno. The whole team are very happy. Miguel had a great race today; I would say that the end of the race was the ‘Miguel Oliveira Show.’ I have great respect for Miguel, who never gives up and who put on a great performance. Brad wasn’t too happy with his race today, but this circuit was not easy for him and in my opinion it was also a good day for him. Both the riders and the whole team should be very happy with the work done today. In addition, I woudl like to thank KTM and WP for the really hard development work in the last weeks.”

44 MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“It was a very fun race. From the start I understood that the pace wasn’t going to be very fast, so the key was to overtake and not lose much time. On the final laps I knew I had to be further up at the front, then when Baldassarri passed us all I thought I maybe had something extra up my sleeve. I suffered a bit of chatter and sliding, but I wanted to be up at the front. I tried to ride smoothly and without making mistakes, and on the last lap I knew that Marini was going for the win, but finally I managed the last laps well and I was able to finish first. I’m very happy; it is an important victory for us and we hope to continue like this. Our goal now is to continue enjoying ourselves and working well to try to make the dream come true at the end of the year.”

41 BRAD BINDER
“Honestly, before I started the race I expected a better result than sixth, but in the end I can be satisfied because I gave it my best. From the start until the end of the race it was very difficult for me to go fast. The conditions changed from what we had in practice, and the truth is that the feeling was strange and I didn’t know if I would be able to finish the race. In the end I am satisfied because I was able to cross the finish line in a good position. It wasn’t our best day, but we achieved a lot of points. In Austria I will work much harder to be up at the front in the race.”