Brad Binder and Jorge Martin conclude the Qatar Grand Prix in the Top 15.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo riders got the 2019 Moto2 World Championship underway with a tricky race under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit. Brad Binder ended the contest in 12th place, whilst Jorge Martin managed to score a point on his Moto2 debut thanks to his 15th place finish.

Binder, who took off from eighth on the grid, had a great start and was up as high as fourth, before some rear-end issues on Lap 9 -when he was riding in the front group- made him lose first a single place and then four more on the next lap. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider was part of a large group that featured countless overtakes, and would cross the line in 12th.

In his first race as a Moto2 rider, Jorge Martin gained two positions off the line, moving up from eleventh to ninth place. Overcoming some physical discomfort, the current Moto3 World Champion battled to stay within the points and, finally, placed 15th -earning his first point in the intermediate class.

The second round of the 2019 Moto2 World Championship will be held in Argentina from March 29th-31st.

Results Moto2 Race
1. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Kalex) 39:56.109
2. Thomas Luthi (Kalex) +0.026
3. Marcel Schrotter (Kalex) +2.123
4. Remy Gardner (Kalex) +2.125
5. Augusto Fernandez (Kalex) +2.305
12. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +16.591
15. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +22.771

Moto2 World Championship Standing 2019
1. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Kalex) 25 points
2. Thomas Luthi (Kalex) 20 points
3. Marcel Schrotter (Kalex) 16 points
4. Remy Gardner (Kalex) 13 points
5. Augusto Fernandez (Kalex) 11 points
12. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 4 points
15. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 1 point

Aki Ajo – Team Manager

“It was a tough Moto2 race for us. We still have work to do, but we must understand that this is a new project. We improved a lot during February and had a great test in Jerez, but since the Qatar test there was something that we couldn’t find the solution to, and that was repeated in this race, preventing things from going as we would have liked. We will analyse everything that has happened and we will see how we can improve for the coming races. The positive thing is that we have a test before the Argentina GP.”

41 BRAD BINDER

“Today was a tough day. I was able to make a good start and during the first three laps I was riding very hard, but from there I started to have some issues with the rear end. On the final laps the tyre had gone off and it was very difficult to stay upright when cornering, so I concentrated on finishing the race in the best possible way. The important thing is that we have managed to pick up some points; I’m looking forward to the next race in Argentina, since it is a track that I really like.”

88 JORGE MARTIN

“I got a good start and I gained some positions but, when I wanted to push a little more, I didn’t feel comfortable with the bike and had some problems, especially with the grip levels. Physical discomfort didn’t help me either. Even so, I fought hard, and I was able to get a point. There is still work to be done, but we have the potential to be further up the order and I hope to be able to prove that at the coming races, since we have a big team and a great bike.”