KTM MotoGP rider Brad Binder will serve a penalty in the European Grand Prix at Valencia after wiping out Jack Miller from the second Aragon race.
Binder hit Miller’s Pramac-run Ducati from the back on the opening lap at Turn 2, the collision sending both riders into the gravel and ending their races on the spot.
It virtually put paid to Miller’s already faint title hopes, the Aussie now heading into the final three races of the campaign a whopping 55 points behind championship leader Joan Mir.
“I mean, we’ve all done it, I’ve done it, so I’m not going to sit here and curse him out,” Miller said of Binder. “It is what it is.”
Binder had another first-lap collision earlier this season, having clipped KTM stablemate Miguel Oliveira at the start of the second Jerez race.
The stewards have ruled that his role in the Miller collision at Aragon breached Article 1.21.2 of the FIM regulations, which states “riders must ride in a responsible manner which does not cause danger to other competitors or participants”.
He will now have to serve a long-lap penalty during the Valencia race in two weeks’ time.
“When I changed direction in Turn 2, I was coming into the corner like it was a regular lap and not taking into account that of course it gets a bit bunched up and the speed dies,” Binder explained. “So, yeah, big mistake on my behalf again, I’m really sorry to wipe Jack out at the same time.
“Second time I’ve done it this year, it really really sucks, but I suppose what can you do? I’m sorry to everyone at Pramac and Jack for messing up their race.
“All I can say is I was just too overeager at the beginning to really try and make up spots, but too narrow-minded going into Turn 2.”
He then quipped: “I don’t know if it’s a good thing or bad thing this year, but both times this year I’ve wiped out friends. It always makes it a lot easier to say sorry, because you’re mates, but at the same time it really really sucks – it was nice of him to be super chilled about it, but I hope I never do that again.”
Binder won his third-ever MotoGP race back in August at Brno, but has otherwise had an up-and-down rookie season and sits 12th in the standings.
He is level with Alex Marquez in the race to finish as MotoGP’s top rookie in 2020.
