Silverstone, Northamptonshire - Brad Binder won what he described as a “crazy” British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday, and took control of the world championship race in the Moto3 class.
With six races left to run, the title is Binder’s to lose now after his closest rival, Jorge Navarro of Spain, crashed out in a chaotic final few laps, where the lead changed at just about every corner. The West Rand rider held off Italy’s Francesco Bagnaia and his Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate, Bo Bendsneyder of the Netherlands, in third place for his first-ever Moto3 podium. With Bagnaia, who had started on pole, desperate to get the win, Binder went hard and had the cushion of his teammate in second place until the final few corners.
“Today was crazy,” said Binder, whose win was his fourth of what has been an incredible season thus far. “I got to the front near the end and no one went past until the back straight again. I knew I needed one bike in front of me, and when Bagnaia passed me going into turn two, I didn’t know if it would work out. I have to thank my team so much. The bike was absolutely incredible.”
Binder now leads the series with 204 points, 86 ahead of Navarro in second with Bagnaia 94 points back in third. There are six races left in the series, with the next race in Italy. Binder may not race with as much fury as he did today, fighting his way to the front in a big bunch that gave little quarter in the corners. Navarro had started in 18th place on the grid, but fought his way to the front after just a few laps. Stefano Manzi had been back in 34th place, but had managed to make the lead group, which would be the undoing of Navarro. Bendsneyder’s podium was the first by a Dutchman since Assen in 1994.
Manzi made a move, which took out Navarro and to add insult to injury, Andrea Migno crashed into Navarro, who stayed down on the track for some time as he recovered from the smash. Manzi would eventually finish in fourth place.
For Binder, the win made up for his crash in the Czech GP at the Automotodrom Brno a few weeks ago. He had led by 67 points going into the Czech GP and instead of playing it safe, went hard for the win and ended up paying the price as he crashed in the wet.
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