South African Brad Binder claimed his third Moto2 victory of 2018 at the Australian MotoGP on Sunday.
Third Victory of the year! Phillip island you where good to me✊? Thank you to my team @redbull_ktm_ajo and everyone for all the great support! ✌️ Bring on Malaysia! https://t.co/mY3RtWDx6C
— Brad Binder (@BradBinder_41) October 28, 2018
Starting from fifth on the grid the South African benefitted from his share of luck as three different riders chrashed out from the lead at different stages during the race.
Binder made his way to the front and survived a late challenge by Joan Mir to take victory.
Binder started on the second row and immediately set about his charge through the pack, as the lead eight started to pull away but there was no escape even after the group splintered with Lorenzo Baldassarri, his Pons team-mate Augusto Fernandez, Xavi Vierge and rookie Joan Mir all remaining in close contention until the final lap.
Binder started the final lap in the lead and a slight error at turn eleven gave Joan Mir a sniff at snatching victory, but the South African held on in a drag race to the line to claim the win by just 0-point-036 seconds.
Xavi Vierge took the final podium spot by just 0-point-008 seconds.
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider claimed his third win of the season after pulling out a gap on the closing lap, but Mir refused to give in and chased him down all the way to the line.
A late tumble saw Baldassarri out of the running, so Vierge and Fernandez were left to duke it out for the final podium spot.
The Dynavolt Intact GP rider won out after some contact between the pair in a fiesty final lap, pulling ahead right at the line, with fourth still a great result for Fernandez – his best finish to date.
Championship rivals Francesco Bagnaia and Miguel Oliveira both finished outside the top 10.
Bagnaia and Oliveira finished eleventh and twelfth respectively, and Bagnaia remain ahead in the standings by 36 points while Binder is third on 193 points.
