KTM vows to keep Brad Binder in MotoGP fight until the very end
· Citizen
With the chequered flag coming down on Brad Binder’s MotoGP career in a matter of months, Red Bull KTM has vowed to help the South African makes the most of what is left of the season.
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Binder leaves the paddock after seven seasons in the premier class at the end of the year to take up a seat at the BMW factory team in the World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK) next year.
Starting in Japan this weekend, there are only seven rounds remaining in MotoGP this season. Binder finished as runner-up at Motegi twice, once in Moto3 in 2016 and once in MotoGP in 2022.
KTM not giving up on Brad Binder
However, the last time Binder stood on the podium was at the start of 2024 after finishing second in Qatar. He is 13th in the title race and on course for his worst premier class finish. Sebastian Risse, KTM’s technical director, said this week that struggling to adapt his riding style to the grippy Michelin rear tyre introduced in 2023 played a major role in Binder’s demise.
“He has a very specific riding style, which suited him very, very well back then. But the championship – unfortunately and fortunately – continues to evolve in the area of tyres, in the area of riding style [and] in the area of bikes,” Risse told the motogpnews.com website.
“We won’t give up until the very end to find new ways to work with him. But it’s clear; he knows how he would need to ride to be faster, but that’s not the riding style he feels comfortable with and where he can play to his strengths.”
Tight title race
2024 world champion Jorge Martin (306) leads seven-time premier class champion Marc Marquez (294) by 12 points ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. Third-placed Marco Bezzecchi (264) needs a big weekend to stay a realistic first-time title contender.
Teenager Ruché Moodley will be looking for his second points finish of the season after his 15th place at the United States Grand Prix. Points finishes in the last seven races will also help him in his bid to remain on the paddock in 2027.
The MotoGP sprint race starts at 8am on Saturday and the main race at 7am on Sunday. The Moto3 race gets underway at 4am on Sunday.