Darryn Binder: "Nothing lost yet" from row 7

It's challenging conditions that the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto2 team faces at the Indonesian Grand Prix on Lombok. Almost unbearable heat, a new tarmac and ongoing setup work mean grid positions 20 for Darryn Binder and 26 for Lukas Tulovic, who is making his injury comeback in Mandalika.

For 25-year-old Darryn Binder, who knows the layout of the Mandalika Street Circuit from his time in MotoGP, this year nevertheless faced the same challenges as his rivals after the 4.3km circuit's tarmac was completely resurfaced in early 2023.
With each session, the South African made successive improvements, but these were not enough for a direct entry into Q2, nor for advancement after Q1. Nevertheless, Binder will start the 22-lap race, which starts on Sunday at 07:15 (CEST), with a lot of self-confidence from row seven, because, according to his own statements, nothing is lost yet and so he hopes to be able to fight his way into the points.

Lukas Tulovic, who broke his left collarbone and metatarsal a few weeks ago at the Indian Grand Prix, was back on his Kalex for the first time on Friday after being cleared for the start and initially rode the unfamiliar circuit in the south of the island of Lombok carefully to familiarise himself as best he could. The German managed to improve over the course of the session, but still sees a lot of work to be done in some areas. The 23-year-old will work intensively with his crew on the set-up before Sunday so that he can consistently ride fast laps in the race and start his chase from the ninth row after he still struggled in some sectors.


Results

P1
1.   Manuel GONZALEZ/ SPA/ KALEX – 1'34.871
2.   Aron CANET/ SPA/ KALEX – 1'35.231 (+0.360)
3.   Jake DIXON/ GBR/ KALEX – 1'35.260 (+0.389)
22. Darryn BINDER / RSA / KALEX – 1'36.662 (+1.791)
29. Lukas TULOVIC/ GER/ KALEX – 1'37.567 (+2.696)

P2 
1.   Pedro ACOSTA/ SPA/ KALEX – 1'34.456
2.   Aron CANET/ SPA/ KALEX – 1'34.636 (+0.180)
3.   Sam LOWES/ GBR/ KALEX – 1'34.678 (+0.222)
18. Darryn BINDER / RSA / KALEX – 1'35.461 (+1.005)
21. Lukas TULOVIC/ GER/ KALEX – 1'35.917 (+1.461)

P3
1.   Aron CANET/ SPA/ KALEX – 1'33.847
2.   Fermín ALDEGUER/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO – 1'33.942 (+0.095)
3.   Pedro ACOSTA/ SPA/ KALEX – 1'33.970 (+0.123)
19. Darryn BINDER / RSA / KALEX – 1'34.761 (+0.914)
23. Lukas TULOVIC/ GER/ KALEX – 1'35.009 (+1.162)

Q1
1.   Jake DIXON/ GBR/ KALEX – 1'34.406
2.   Alonso LOPEZ/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO – 1'34.608 (+0.202)
3.   Jeremy ALCOBA/ SPA/ KALEX – 1'34.627 (+0.221)
6.   Darryn BINDER/ RSA/ KALEX – 1'34.762 (+0.356)
12. Lukas TULOVIC/ GER/ KALEX – 1'35.293 (+0.887)