Superb 1-2 finish for Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 at the Australian GP

27/10/2019

Brad Binder dominated the race from start to finish, taking the victory at Phillip Island, with Jorge Martin in second place.

On Sunday Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 once again demonstrated just why Phillip Island is one of the team’s most favoured tracks, after securing victory at the Australian circuit for the third consecutive year. Brad Binder, who led the race from start to finish, recorded his third win of the season and is now the rider with the most victories in the team’s history. Jorge Martin finished second to make it a magnificent double podium, as he achieved his best result in the intermediate category to date.

Brad was untouchable in the Australian Grand Prix race, dominating from the very first corner right to the end. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider maintained a consistent pace lap by lap, trying to keep the distance ahead of his teammate, Jorge Martin, as the Spaniard sought to hunt him down. Binder would make it his third victory at Phillip Island and his third win this year. With this result he moves up to third position in the championship on 209 points and he is still in with a shot of the Moto2 World Championship title, with two races to go.

For his part, Jorge achieved his best position as a Moto2 rider after crossing the Phillip Island finish line in second place. The Spaniard made a great start, moving up from fifth to second place on the first lap. Martin tried to chase down his teammate, riding in the South African’s slipstream, as he escaped from the rest of the pack. It was the second podium in a row for the current Moto3 World Champion, highlighting his excellent progress in his rookie Moto2 season. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider is now 11th in the standings, with 83 points.

With no time to rest, the Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 team will now fly to Kuala Lumpur for the Malaysian Grand Prix, which will be held next weekend, from 1st to 3rd November.

 

Results (Moto2 Race)
1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 38:53.277
2. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) +1.968
3. Thomas Luthi (Kalex) +6.021
4. Jorge Navarro (Speed Up) +8.151
5. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Kalex) +8.806

Moto2 World Championship Standings 2019
1. Alex Marquez (Kalex) 242 points
2. Thomas Luthi (Kalex) 214 points
3. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 209 points
4. Jorge Navarro (Speed Up) 199 points
5. Augusto Fernandez (Kalex) 192 points
11. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) 83 points

 

Aki Ajo – Team manager

“It was an excellent weekend for us at Phillip Island. The conditions were constantly changing throughout the Grand Prix and especially on Saturday, which was a challenging day. However, I’m happy we were fastest right from FP1, both in the dry and the wet. The expectations for the race were high and we have achieved a 1-2, so I’m very happy. Brad [Binder] led the contest from start to finish, but I also have to say that Jorge [Martin] has taken a step forward in the last three rounds, and I think that’s a very good sign for the future.”

41 BRAD BINDER

“It’s great to be on the podium again, but today wasn’t an easy race. The gap to Jorge [Martin] was increasing and decreasing throughout the race, but I just never got away from him. I gave it my maximum, pushing from the first to the last lap and we kept up a good pace throughout the contest. I’m very happy to have contributed to the 1-2 for Red Bull KTM Ajo and, of course, it’s always a very nice feeling to win in the World Championship.”

88 JORGE MARTIN

“In these last three races I felt very good fighting in the lead group and I’m really happy about that. Today the race was a bit easier than in Japan, as taking off ahead is always a plus. I tried to follow Brad [Binder], but he was pushing really hard. The pace he showed was incredible, he was going so fast. In the end, second place is fine and Brad deserved the victory. I’m very satisfied with the result and for the team, as they deserve the double podium. I’m already looking forward to the next GP.”

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