Rider Profile
2026 Season Snapshot
- Position
- 13
- Points
- 94
- Grand Prix starts
- 15
- Grand Prix wins
- 0
- Grand Prix podiums
- 0
- Pole positions
- 0
Sprint wins: 2Sprint podiums: 8
A long development within KTM
Brad Binder is a South African rider who reached Grand Prix racing through the Red Bull Rookies Cup and began his first full Moto3 world-championship season in 2012. After joining Ajo, he won the Moto3 world title in 2016 and then progressed to Moto2 within the same organisation.
In 2018, Binder took three Moto2 victories and finished third overall. He consistently challenged at the front in the second half of 2019, ending the season with five wins and finishing runner-up by just three points. He moved directly into Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in 2020 to begin his premier-class career.
A first win at Brno and a wet Austrian victory
At the Czech Grand Prix in 2020, Binder won only his third MotoGP Grand Prix, also securing KTM’s first premier-class victory. That rookie-season breakthrough was a milestone for both rider and manufacturer, and he subsequently earned Rookie of the Year.
When rain arrived late in the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix, Binder chose to stay on slick tyres and held on to win in difficult conditions. In 2023, Grand Prix podiums and two Sprint wins helped him finish fourth overall, giving him notable results across different race distances and weather conditions.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in 2026
In 2026, Binder continues on the number 33 KTM RC16 alongside Pedro Acosta. Years with the same manufacturer have given him accumulated experience of the motorcycle and garage over successive seasons, while his teammate brings more recent junior-class titles to the factory team.
Red Bull KTM Tech3 also uses the RC16, with Viñales and Bastianini as its riders. Comparing all four riders during the same weekend provides more perspectives on the KTM platform, while the factory and independent teams continue to accumulate their own team points separately.
What to watch
Watch Binder’s braking in close battles, whether he can hold a position after overtaking, and how he progresses from his grid position. When the weather changes, compare his tyre choices with those of other riders. His 2021 Austrian victory is a strategy example whose context depends on the weather and race situation at the time.
Statistics scope
Historical statistics on this page cover only the MotoGP premier class, with Grand Prix wins and Sprint wins listed separately. Moto2, Moto3, 125cc and WorldSBK honours are described separately in the biography. The figures are a snapshot of the official API on 1 October 2026; see this site’s standings for the latest points.
Last checked: 1 October 2026 · Historical statistics and current points are maintained separately