MotoGP Austria: Brad Binder to Francesco Bagnaia: “You bastards did something on the start!” | MotoGP

And Bagnaia later admitted Binder was right.

KTM’s launch superiority is well-known this season and, with Binder ranging from a uncommon entrance row, not far behind pole man Bagnaia, the South African should have fancied his probabilities of beating the Ducati to Turn 1.

Although Binder left second place Maverick Vinales for mud, Bagnaia comfortably gained the holeshot battle in each the Sprint and Grand Prix. The pair then remained first and second, respectively, to the chequered flags.

While ready for Sunday’s podium ceremony Bagnaia, Binder and third-place Marco Bezzecchi have been proven a replay of the begin on TV.

“Hey, you bastards did something on the start, eh?” Smiled Binder, tapping Bagnaia on the shoulder together with his fist.

“My start was f**king good, but… not as good as normal!” Binder added.

“You b******* did something at the start!”

Watch how @PeccoBagnaia, @BradBinder_33 and @Marco12_B reacted to the finest moments of the race #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/fWxwlYXJLV

— MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) August 21, 2023

Bagnaia didn’t reply and continued watching the replays.

But when later quizzed by the media about why the Ducati appeared to have been a lot stronger off the line, he confirmed:

“For the begin, it’s clear that it’s something [new] we had to our bike, nevertheless it’s something that I choose somebody above – in Ducati – to talk about as a result of I do not need to be the first one [to say what it is].

“It’s something that helped me in the first a part of acceleration. That was the second I used to be dropping the most as a result of they [KTM] could be tremendous aggressive in the first a part of acceleration, and us with the carbon clutch it is tougher, this type of acceleration.

“But we improved on that and it was so useful. We gained each races and we already had an excellent likelihood to do this, thanks to the begin.”

MotoGP.com commentator and pitlane reporter Simon Crafar advised there was additionally something totally different about Ducati’s holeshot gadget change in Austria.

LIGHTS OUT @PeccoBagnaia fires off the line! #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/YWi4mUq5dE

— MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) August 20, 2023