Brad Binder goes through to Q2 and will start from the sixth row of the grid tomorrow, while Jorge Martin will take off from Row 7.

The grid for the Czech GP was decided on Saturday at Brno, a day in which the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 riders experienced a variety of conditions. Brad Binder went directly through to Q2 thanks to his time from Friday, and will start from 16th tomorrow. Teammate, Jorge Martin, was fifth in Q1, just 86 thousandths of a second off making the cut for Q2, and will begin the Czech Grand Prix race from 19th.

FP3 was held in the dry, despite morning rain. Brad Binder began Saturday positively, and was at the sharp end of the timesheets for much of the session. After completing a total of 12 laps, the South African was 13th with a 2:02.310 top time, going through to Q2 on the strength of his personal best from Friday. Martin was up into the Top 5 during the 40-minute session, even leading the way at one stage. Although he set his fastest time of the weekend – 2:02.161 – and finished eighth, it would not be enough for him to make it through to Q2.

Q1 featured a wet track, due to rain early in the afternoon. The Spaniard would eventually miss out on the second qualifying session, doing so by a slim margin in Q1, as his 2:14.376 lap was just 86 thousands of a second off making the cut. Martin will take off from 19th at the Czech GP. Brad Binder went out with wet tyres for Q2, and would finish 16th thanks to his 2:14.177 time. The South African will be on the sixth row of the grid when the riders line up on Sunday.

The 19-lap Moto2 Czech Grand Prix race will start tomorrow at 12:20 pm.

Results (Qualifying session)
1. Alex Marquez (Kalex) 2:06.787
2. Sam Lowes (Kalex) 2:08.805 +2.018
3. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Kalex) 2:10.766 +3.979
4. Nicolo Bulega (Kalex) 2:11.377 +4.590
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Speed Up) 2:12.053 +5.266
16. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 2:14.177 +7.390
19. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 2:14.376 (Q1 Time)

41 BRAD BINDER

“It’s been a difficult weekend so far. We started well in FP1, but since then I haven’t felt comfortable on the bike. We have been working hard but the things we have been trying out since yesterday have not worked as we had expected, so we have to keep trying until we are at our best. This afternoon, in wet conditions, I struggled a little more, but we got onto the sixth row of the grid for tomorrow’s race. Luckily, we still have the warmup tomorrow to finish finetuning our setup. I know that the team are working very hard, and that together we will find the right path.”

88 JORGE MARTIN

“It has been a tough day for us. I felt much better this morning than yesterday and we were 7 tenths faster than my best lap from Friday. In the afternoon I did my best to make the cut and get into Q2, but I encountered a lot of traffic on the track that prevented me from improving my time. We have to continue working hard to get the most out of the new parts, we will try to take further steps forward in the warm-up. If the race is dry, the goal is to enter the Top 15. It would be a great result and I think we can do it. Now we have to focus and try out best to be strong for the race tomorrow.”