KTM has made the RC16 easier to ride as a result of changes during MotoGP pre-season which transformed its base, says Brad Binder.

The Austrian manufacturer was well off the pace in the first Official Test of the year at Sepang, where new factory team manager Francesco Guidotti admitted they would revert to a 2021 base before trying to develop their bike again.

According to Binder, KTM did indeed take new parts to the Mandalika test, which improved their package.

It leaves him more optimistic about Round 1 of the season this weekend in Qatar, where his eighth in last year’s Doha Grand Prix was the best result of any of the four RC16 riders across a pair of events at Lusail at the beginning of the 2021 campaign.

“Starting off in Sepang, it was really tough for us,” said the South African.

“It was a difficult first day-and-a-half but as soon as we got to Mandalika, we really made a good step, I’d say.

“We had some small new parts to try and we have a bit of a new base for the season.

“And honestly, it’s a little bit better for sure, it makes our job a lot easier, the bike’s a bit easier to ride, so I really like it.

“Qatar is a track that has been tough for us in the past – I think back to last year, it was probably one of the hardest races of the year – but I’m confident that our new package will be much better here, and I’m confident we can do a good job this weekend.”

Asked how the RC16 is easier to ride, Binder cited improvements around aerodynamics and enhanced turning.

“We ended up changing the base of the bike quite a lot, pretty much to work with the aero mainly,” he explained.

“By doing that, we seem to have won a little bit of margin in the front, so you don’t feel so on the limit all the time.

“But in general, the bike turns a little bit better, which always makes life a bit easier, so the guys have done a good job.

“We still need a bit of time to take the potential from this new package for sure, but so far I’m happy with the direction that we’ve worked in.”

Both Binder and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team-mate Miguel Oliveira won a race last year, on their way to sixth and 14th in the championship respectively.

They once again share the garage of the official team, while Tech3 KTM Factory Racing fields two rookies in Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez, who finished one-two in Moto2 in 2021.

Practice at the Qatar Grand Prix starts tonight (AEDT).