Dutch MotoGP: ‘I need to qualify better’ stresses Darryn Binder, calls Assen a ‘Yamaha track’

With reigning MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo starting to dominate the 2022 season, other Yamaha riders will be the first to tell you their performances need to improve.
Darryn Binder, Yamaha MotoGP Sachsenring
Darryn Binder, Yamaha MotoGP Sachsenring

None more so than ꦬDarryn Binder who has had a decent start to his MotoGP career, but with RNF switching to Aprilia machinery in 2023, his future with the team has become✅ unclear in recent weeks. 

Binder has arguably been the third best rookie behind Marco Beꦏzzeccꦗhi and Fabio Di Giannantonio, especially since the evaluation process is slightly different for the South African given he came straight from Moto3.

And while most would agree that Binder needs a second year in the premier clas♔s to fully demonstrate his potential, finding speed in Assen and after the summer break is going to be vital in making that happen, unless an announcement on his future comes before the British Grand Prix in August. 

Remote video URL

Speaking ahead of Assen, a track he believes sui🐓ts Yamah🐷a more than anyone, Binder stated: "I’m feeling really good going into Assen. I’ve been making some really decent steps forward, but one point I need to focus on now is qualifying. 

"I need to qualify better to help myself in the race. Going into Assen that will be my main go✅al to qualify better.

Darryn Binder, German MotoGP, 19 June
Darryn Binder, German MotoGP, 19 June
 

"It’s also a place that I really, really enj💫oy riding and it seems to be a Yamaha track. I’m looking to go into the summer break with a good result in m🦩y pocket."

Can Yamaha’s stunning MotoGP record at Assen prove the turning point for Morbidelli?

Yamaha have won seven of the last 11 races at Assen, with Quartararo the latest to do so in 2✤021. 

And in a season where resuಌlts have been very hard to come by for Morbidelli, the Dutch TT could be just what the Italian needs. 

Like Binder, qualifying has been a major issue and something he’s admitted needs to improve. Should that happen Morbidelli could be a topꦬ ten contender as his race pace has steadily improved since Catalunya𒁃. 

Franco Morbidelli, German MotoGP, 18 June
Franco Morbidelli, German MotoGP, 18 June

"After the weekend at the Sachsenring, I want to get back to work as soon as possible," said Morbidelli. "We know where weꩵ have to improve. Our race pace is pretty decent, but we nee🦩d to upgrade our performance on the new soft tyre. 

"This is not an easy thing to ꧟do, because of the limited soft tyre allocation, but we will try to make another s🍸tep. 

"We clearly have a lot of work ahead of us to catch up, especially since I haven‘t ridden at the Assen track in the last two years: in 2020 because of the pandemic and in 2021 because of my knee injury𝓰. 

"So, we‘ll have to work hard. We hope we🧔 will have dry track time so we c🐭an make progress."

Read More