KTM heads into the new MotoGP season much more confident than one year ago with bot🦩h Brad Binder and Jack Miller sure that the RC16 has made a clear step forward 💖for 2024.

The Austrian factory proved to be Ducati’s closest challenger last season, when Binder was a best-yet fourthꦚ in the riders’ standings and KT⛎M second in the constructors’.

That was despite some worrying pre-season pace, but 𒈔this winter has gone far more smoot♍hly.

A KTM was inside the top four at the end of 3 out of the 5 days of Official testing and, while Binder was only n𒈔inth at the end of Qatar, 🌊his best lap was blighted by yellow flags.

More significantly, Binder was one of only two riders (the other being GASGAS rookie Pedro Acosta) to put in a full race simulation – a🍸nd was ten-seconds faster than Fabio di Giannantonio’s race-winning pace at last November’s grand prix.

“Today was pretty cool. We managed to squash everything in and trꦰied a few settings as well as a full race simulation,” said Binder.

“Thཧere was a bit of a drop [in pace] but nothing crazy. It was better compared to the race here last🔯 year. That’s the most important."

The South African ran out of fuel on the slow-down lap and thanked some Pramac team members for pushing him back to the pi🤡ts.

“Then I was unlucky to have two 🅠yellow flags on my time attack lap, but other than that I was happy!" Binder added.

“I think our 🧸bike is ℱworking really well and we’ve clearly made a step from last season.

🍃“I꧂’m happy with the way the bike’s working. Let’s see where we are next week…”

Brad Binder’s Qatar test race simulation:

1'53.292 
1'52.995 
1'53.078 
1'52.979 
1'53.342 
1'53.307 
1'53.130 
1'53.202 
1'52.859 
1'53.216 
1'53.301 
1'53.133 
1'53.088 
1'53.197 
1'53.345 
1'53.268 
1'53.317 
1'53.389 
1'53.395 
1'53.200 
1'53.457 
1'53.432

Binder's average = 1m 53.224s

di Giannantonio’s Qatar 2023 race-winning average (excluding standing start): 1m 53.667s

Binder's team-mate Jack Miller was eleventh onꦜ the timesheets.

“A positive last day here and I’m pretty happy where we are with the bike. I made a few setup changes today and I📖 think we are 💜in the right ballpark to get the season underway.

“All-in-all it’s been a good pre-season and the boys have done a fantastic job through the winter with the improvements a♒nd I believe we have a very competitive bik🙈e to go racing.”

That conclusion was ech🎶oed by team manager Francesco Guidotti.

“The riders were happy. We made a forward step compared to the last time we were here and that was clear with the lap💟-times.

“We still need a bit more though, but we are on the way. We are working and we can see 💦the improvements.

“It’s been a good pre-season and the general🌄 pace has been under the lap record both times and we are also right th🌳ere.

“We will be ready, and we have to deliver.”

“We are happy and confident with our package,” said technical director Sebastian Risse. “We had a g💯ood time here and we are confident for the first race now.”

Binder finished fifth in last year✤’s Qatar Grand Prix, after some front tyre issues, while Miཧller was ninth.

Average lap time during longer runs, Qatar Test - Day 2

• Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) 1m 52.106s (7 laps)
• Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 1m 52.430s (7 laps)
• Fabio di Giannantonio (Ducati) 1m 52.533s (11 laps)
• Enea Bastianini (Ducati) 1m 52.541s (10 laps)
• Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati) 1m 52.951s (9 laps)
• Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) 1m 53.042s (10 laps)
• Brad Binder (KTM) 1m 53.224s (22 laps)
• Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) 1m 53.322s (17 laps)
• Takaaki Nakagami (Honda) 1m 53.544s (14 laps)
• Jack Miller (KTM) 1m 53.614s (8 laps)
• Alex Marquez (Ducati) 1m 53.693s (18 laps)
• Pedro Acosta (KTM) 1m 53.710s (18 laps*)
• Luca Marini (Honda) 1m 53.840s (14 laps)
• Johann Zarco (Honda) 1m 53.876s (10 laps)
• Miguel Oliveira (Aprilia) 1m 54.005s (10 laps)
• Augusto Fernandez (KTM) 1m 54.076 (13 laps*)

*Slow laps removed