14/04/2024

Insightful Texas GP ends without points for Agius & Binder

The Circuit of the Americas is merciless. LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto2 team rider Senna Agius finished seventeenth after 16 instructive laps, while unlucky Darryn Binder finished last after a strong fightback following a crash on lap 3.

Sixteen laps had to be completed in the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. A hurdle that Moto2 rookie Senna Agius managed well but the 18-year-old is not entirely satisfied with the final result after his steady improvements this weekend, as the points were within reach for the Australian at times. Starting the race from 22nd on the grid, Agius moved into the top 20 right at the beginning of the slipstream battles, but his rivals were similarly fast, so it was not enough to make it into the top 15. He therefore finished his third race of the season without any points but is already hungry for his next chance in a fortnight's time.

Darryn Binder is, understandably, disappointed. Despite not feeling well and starting last on the grid, the South African managed to catapult himself up to 19th position within just one lap after a strong start. However, the 26-year-old then crashed in the seventeenth position in turn 15, which fortunately was a minor incident. He was able to continue the race, but ultimately crossed the finish line in last place.
During the two-week break until the Jerez Grand Prix from the 26th - 28th of April 2024, Binder will do everything he can to get fully fit again so that he can then fight for points again on European soil.

RESULTS

Race
1. Sergio GARCIA/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO
2. Joe ROBERTS/ USA/ KALEX – (+0.492)
3. Fermin ALDEGUER/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO – (+3.293)
17. Senna AGIUS/ AUS/ KALEX – (+19.460)
27. Darryn BINDER/ RSA/ KALEX – (+1'17.291)

World Championship
1. GARCIA Sergio/ SPA – 51
2. ROBERTS Joe/ USA – 49
3. LOPEZ Alonso/ SPA – 38
18. AGIUS Senna/ AUS – 2
20. BINDER Darryn/ RSA – 1

Senna Agius

P17 - (+19.460)
Moto2 World Championship 2024 - P18 - 2 Points

"I had a not too bad start and the first few laps, when I felt confident, were also good. I was able to catch up well until I was in contention for the points. However, I lost time in some sectors, while I was really strong in other parts of the track. That was going through the entire distance. In this race I learned the most in the final laps and I think we’re knocking on the door to make a big step soon. As soon as we return to Europe, we will try out a lot of what we have experienced so far. The result is not what I want, but we have all learned a lot for the future. Besides, the gap to the winners is not that big, so let's take the positives and get ready for Jerez."

Darryn Binder

P27 - (+1'17.291)
Moto2 World Championship 2024 - P20 - 1 Point

"Austin was a weekend to forget this time, unfortunately. After a tough day yesterday, I went into the race with the intention of making up as many positions as possible. I did my best at the beginning, had a good start and firing my way through the grid. But then I made a mistake when I overtook a rider in turn 15, which caused me to lose the front and the race was over. It's a tough time, I'm still struggling. But I'm not giving up, I'm already looking forward to the next race."

Jürgen Lingg

Team Manager

"We were aware that Austin would be difficult. Austin is always very special, and Senna was the only rider on the Moto2 grid who had never been here before. The limited track time before the race and qualifying made itself felt. Nevertheless, the weekend’s summary on his side is positive. However, the result doesn't quite reflect what he achieved over the course of the weekend, where he improved in every session. In the end, he did a strong race. With a better grid position, much more would certainly have been possible. For a rookie at this difficult track, he did remarkably well. We are satisfied with that. But more importantly, he has certainly learned a lot for the future this weekend, especially in today's race.
Darryn never really got going from the start of free practice. In addition, he had an unfortunate qualifying session yesterday, in which first a lap was cancelled, and he then crashed. In the end, he had no lap time registered, and as a result he had to start from the very last grid position today. That's the worst case in Moto2. Nevertheless, we didn't give up and motivated him to give it his all. But another crash ended his race prematurely. Until then, however, he had shown a strong recovery. For his part, we will analyze everything in detail to see what he is missing or what he needs to do differently so that we are in a better position again in Jerez."

Moto2 Pictures – Austin GP 2024 Sunday

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