Brad Binder on his KTM on Sunday. (Photo: Patricia de Melo Moreira / AFP)
Pain’s foot… South Africa’s man of steel, Brad Binder, obviously doesn’t mind it.
Binder (KTM) finished sixth in the first MotoGP of the year on Sunday at the Algarve circuit in Portimao, Portugal.
Binder fell on Friday and despite severe pain in his shoulder and neck, he showed little sign of it on Sunday, or so it appeared.
He started 14th and quickly moved up. He was fourth shortly before the end and a podium place even beckoned.
But his KTM could not keep up with the much faster Gresini Ducati of Alex Marquez in the long arrow section and he was also overtaken and passed by Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) shortly before the finish line.
But hats off to Binder, who overshadowed his new teammate, Australian Jack Miller (seventh).
The MotoGP was won by the Italian and current world champion, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo), followed by Maverick Viñales (Aprilia), Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Ducati), Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati) and Marquez.
It was Bagnaia’s 12th career victory.
The MotoGP was disrupted early on when the bike of Marc Marquez (Honda Repsol), who was in the first starting position, made contact with Jorge Martin’s Pramac Ducati.
Marquez pulled over his bike and ran over Miguel Oliveira.
Oliveira, a Portuguese, lay for some time at the side of the track where he was treated, but he was later taken to the medical center on a stretcher as the Portuguese spectators booed Marquez.
Marquez later stopped by the medical center and apologized.
According to Marquez’s team, their driver injured his right leg, but miraculously did not sustain a fracture.
The next race is the American MotoGP which takes place on April 16 in Austin, Texas.
