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• Brad Binder slices through to Q2 and leads the KTM quartet in a close Spanish qualification.
• Brother Darryn Binder claimed a victorious pole position in Moto3.
• For motoring news, go to News24.com/wheels
For the second Grand Prix in a row, South Africa's Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Brad Binder was the lead qualifier as the local champion made the cut from Q1 to Q2 and will line-up in 12th place for the 23-lap race at MotorLand Aragon on Sunday.
According to KTM, the technical layout of MotorLand Aragon gave 2021 MotoGP its latest challenge. It remained fresh in the riders' minds for feeling and set-up after the double-header at the eastern Spanish venue last autumn.
"The championship negotiated the circuit for only one appointment and the thirteenth round of eighteen on the current calendar but enjoyed warm and bright conditions for the crucial Free Practice sessions on Saturday and the flurry of fast laps in both Q1 and Q2", says the factory team.
Will the new chassis help @BradBinder_41 reach Q2? ?
— MotoGP™?? (@MotoGP) September 11, 2021
The South African sits second behind @JohannZarco1! ??#AragonGP ?? pic.twitter.com/ItF2tHbelm
The team said: "Brad Binder was the quickest KTM RC16 rider on the day and among a tight contest with 11 names split by just 1.1 seconds. Binder, the Styrian Grand Prix winner, grabbed second place in Q1 and transferred into Q2 for the second event. Binder was handicapped by having used the best options from his tire allocation and could not push to the maximum in the short decider for the first three rows of the grid."
Binder says: "I'm happy we made it through to Q2, but unfortunately, we didn't have the tyres to make the most of it. I tried my best to make a lap-time from a used one from Q1 but just didn't have the grip.
"I struggled to do anything in Q2. Overall, we can be happy with the step we have made today. Now we'll give our all tomorrow."
Flying to a superb second pole position of the season! ??
— MotoGP™?? (@MotoGP) September 11, 2021
This is how @DarrynBinder40 did it! ??#Moto3 | #AragonGP ??https://t.co/EVf1UJjeAq
The KTM GP Academy says: "Darryn Binder snared Pole Position, but Red Bull KTM Tech3's Deniz Öncü was consistently quick on his KTM RC4. The Turk was fastest on combined times after Friday's sessions and emerged from Q2 with sixth position and just over half a second away from the South African.
Races: 12 September, 2021
Moto3 11.00 CET
Moto2 12.20 CET
MotoGP 14.00 CET
Results Qualifying MotoGP Gran Premio Tissot de Aragon
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 1:46.322
2. Jack Miller (AUS) Ducati +0.366
3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) Yamaha +0.397
4. Marc Marquez (ESP) Honda +0.414
5. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +0.556
12. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +1.610
Dream day for @ducaticorse as @PeccoBagnaia pips @jackmilleraus to pole! ??@FabioQ20 lines up third ahead of MotorLand master @marcmarquez93! ??#AragonGP ?? pic.twitter.com/qIUTGY5ZEn
— MotoGP™?? (@MotoGP) September 11, 2021
Results Qualifying Moto2Gran Premio Tissot de Aragon
1. Sam Lowes (GBR) 1:51.778
2. Remy Gardner (AUS) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.279
3. Raul Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.306
Results Qualifying Moto3 Gran Premio Tissot de Aragon
1. Darryn Binder (RSA) Honda 1:57.724
2. Gabriel Rodrigo (ARG) Honda +0.181
3. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Honda +0.252
4. Sergio Garcia (ESP) GASGAS +0.345
5. Andrea Migno (ITA) Honda +0.379
6. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.590
