Brad Binder was hampered by neck pain on the opening day of the Portuguese Grand Prix following a crash at the end of pre-season testing. Miguel Oliveira for his part fell on Friday and suffers from foot and leg.
While KTM ended the day at the top of the timesheets with its new rider, Jack Miller, Brad Binder had a very complicated start to the Portuguese Grand Prix which resulted in his 18th place in the standings, 1 “2 from his teammate.
The South African driver is suffering from neck pain, the result of a fall suffered at the very end of pre-season testing which took place on this same Portimão circuit two weeks ago. The fall had occurred at turn 7 on his exit lap for what was to be his very last run, but the mishap was quickly forgotten.
“An unexpected pain did not allow him to ride properly” however explained the team manager Francesco Guidotti this Friday. “Maybe he underestimated this fall and its consequences, because he trained normally. It was a bad surprise this morning”, he admitted.
“He has not recovered 100%”, indicated the Italian manager this afternoon to the official MotoGP website. “We thought he was much better, and he thought so too. He trained normally, he received treatment. Unfortunately, when he got on the bike this morning he was very stiff in the neck and he couldn’t move his head well. He was in real pain.”
Care received during the day allowed Brad Binder to complete the trials on Friday, but the pain was still present, it was decided to have him undergo an MRI this evening. “This afternoon he rode normally but with pain that hampered his concentration, so it is better to know precisely what he has,” said Francesco Guidotti.
Brad Binder is not the only one to end the day in pain, as Miguel Oliveira suffers from foot pain after a big highside suffered during the second practice session of the day, just before the fall of Pol Espargaró in the same area of the track.
“I suffered a big crash when I was on my exit lap on new tyres”, explained the Portuguese pilot. “I fell because of a cold rear tyre. At first I thought Pol had hit me but then I completely understood that I had fallen alone and went highside at the entrance to the Turn 11. Luckily I only have a bruise on my left foot and leg.”
The driver most affected, of course, is Pol Espargaró who is in Faro hospital this evening after the heavy fall he suffered and which led to the second red flag of the afternoon. The Tech3 pilot suffers from back and chest trauma and must undergo additional examinations to clarify his condition.
