MotoGP, KTM: Binder and Oliveira far off the pace

The best result KTM has achieved in the first five races was fifth with Brad Binder in Portugal, and with Danilo Petrucci at Le Mans. The Austrian manufacturer is not exactly fighting at the front or in the running for wins (or the title), something it was able to do last season with Binder, a rookie at the time, and Miguel Oliveira.

The South African is more competitive

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To date, the best KTM rider in the championship is in fact Binder, but he lies eleventh overall, having scored 24 points in five races. Not enough, considering that he even won a race last year, at Brno. Technical issues are clearly affecting all the ‘orange’ riders, but we expected more from the factory pairing, who already proved to have a good understanding of the bike last season. And yet, on the other side of the garage, things seem to be even more critical.

Disappointing Oliveira

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Oliveira, now in his third season with KTM, has collected just nine points so far. A rider who looked so promising last year, and so likely to take up the reins following Pol Espargaró’s departure, but one who now looks to be in real difficulty. Of the five races run so far, he failed to reach the finish line at Le Mans, and is yet to score a top-ten finish. His best result was eleventh at Jerez. The Austrian manufacturer needs to turn things around, and surely the factory riders hold the key.

Translated by Heather Watson

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