In the 2025 season, numerous challenges await several MotoGP riders, but the name Brad Binder stands out prominently. Over the past four seasons, he has built a reputation as a reliable frontrunner, consistently achieving significant results and racking up steady points throughout the season.
The data is crystal clear. During his second season from 2021 until the end of last season, his best ranking never dropped below sixth place, and during this time, he celebrated one victory and enjoyed ten podium finishes. Since his rookie season, no other KTM rider has outscored him, and even in 2024, when Pedro Acosta makes his Tech3 debut on factory equipment with a bang, he remains unchallenged.
However, the landscape in 2025 is drastically different. In the remaining four races, Binder currently sits in 11th place in the championship, with 118 points and only one top-five finish. In contrast, Acosta, his new teammate, holds the sixth position with 215 points and three awards.
Binder expressed, "The reality is that this is our current pace, and we need to step it up; we have to push forward."
KTM's off-track challenges for the 2024/25 season put the team at a disadvantage right from the start. However, since the Czech Grand Prix in July, the competitiveness of the RC16 has improved, with aerodynamic upgrades from Austria bringing it closer to the front.
Despite Acosta and, to some extent, Bastianini leveraging the upgraded motorcycle, Binder has yet to navigate an entire weekend successfully on the enhanced RC16. The 30-year-old rider is gradually adjusting to the challenging 2025 season, but he remains confidently hopeful that he and KTM can overcome the obstacles ahead.
Bender stated, “I wouldn’t say it’s hard to accept; I find it entirely normal. I haven’t had many good results so far, and I barely finished any competitions at the beginning of the year.”
He added, "We did face some difficulties in the early stages, but the situation has stabilized significantly now. We have a better understanding of the causes of the problems, and KTM has many new developments on the horizon."
Binder's struggles primarily stem from inadequate front-end grip and rear-end vibration, a problem that has plagued all KTM riders this year. "Our technical team is working hard to adjust the chassis," he explained. "We've been dealing with a lot of noise and insufficient front-end grip, so they're tweaking the stiffness and balance to minimize this issue."
When asked about the need to change his motorcycle or riding style, he replied, "I've already tried to adjust my riding style for a while. I can do it to a certain extent, but I still need more front-end grip."
He also pointed out, "If we can find a more tolerant balance between the front and rear wheels and get rid of the noise issue, our situation will be completely different."
Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia seems to have made a significant breakthrough during the Misano tests, reportedly returning to the performance level of last year's GP24 with the 2025 engine. This test also gave other riders the chance to try out new parts, and Binder is confident that these improvements will help him boost his performance in the second half of the season.
"We tested some upgraded components that are about to be put into production, so there will be some good results coming," he mentioned. "This is part of our future improvement plan that will help us enhance performance."
For KTM, the widening gap between Acosta and other riders is an increasingly concerning issue. In the Japanese Grand Prix, Acosta placed fourth, missing pole position by just 0.158 seconds, while the other three factory riders had to start outside the top five.
Vinales' recent drop in speed during races in Hong Kong can be attributed to injuries; after all, he quickly adapted to the RC16 during preseason testing and secured a second-place finish in the Qatar race, only to be demoted to 12th due to a tire pressure violation. As for Bastiani, this young rider has also experienced some standout moments this season, clinching third place in the sprint race in Brno and stepping back onto the podium again in Barcelona.
This makes Binder the only KTM rider in 2025 who has yet to step onto the podium (Viñales’ penalty was announced after the post-race celebrations). Binder praised Acosta for his outstanding performance this season and offered insights that might explain the gap between the Spanish rider and the other KTM racers.
Binder explained, "At the beginning of the year, our performance had its ups and downs, but then Acosta made sure his motorcycle was generally similar to ours from last year. He has consistently stuck with a more conventional chassis, and since then, his performance has become very stable."
He further pointed out, "During this period, we've been experimenting with a lot of ineffective solutions. When we arrive at certain tracks, we can't operate normally right from the first lap, making it impossible to get anything done throughout the weekend. This has made things a bit tricky."
Brad Binder achieved his best result of the season at the Indonesian Grand Prix, starting from 15th place and finishing the race in 4th, just one second short of the podium. Although the veteran KTM rider admitted for the first time that this performance was attributed to the unique conditions at Mandalika, his impressive navigation of the track continues to draw attention, bringing hope for future seasons.
"I believe this is a unique race track, and I truly hope it can be my turning point because I've had quite a tough season," Binder mentioned. "Finishing in fourth place again is pretty great, and the competition with other drivers was exciting as well. However, the situation here is special; the group level is quite low, and the tire choices are different. We're looking forward to returning to Europe."
Undoubtedly, drawing conclusions from the end of the season in Indonesia isn’t wise, but for this driver, who has faced numerous challenges, finishing in the top five is certainly a boost to confidence. Bender looks forward to the 2025 season, viewing it as merely a temporary low, while keeping an eye on the final year of the current regulations cycle and the end of his rare three-year contract signed with KTM in 2022.
