Brad Binder is feeling optimistic ahead of the 2026 MotoGP season as the KTM rider looks to bounce back after enduring his worst campaign in the premier class so far.
The 30-year-old competed in his sixth season in the premier class last year but hit a new low in his season. Pedro Acosta became the new jewel of KTM in 2025 After joining their factory team. binding For the first time, he failed to get a single Grand Prix podium in a season, while Acosta took five.
KTM Even Binder finished the 2025 MotoGP season only 11th in the riders’ 155 points, the second best KTM AC, while Acosta was fourth with 307 points. In the year The South African has not finished lower in the standings since his move to KTM in 2020.
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Brad Binder thinks KTM has fixed the ‘caution’ problem at the front end
Binder believes he will be in a “different world” when the eligibility formula is improved.But the KTM RC16 carried it last year as well. The two-time MotoGP Grand Prix winner admitted he lost “a lot of confidence” after easily missing out on the front row for the 2025 season.
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Every time Binder tried to push the 2025, he felt the front of the KTM RC16 start to pull away from him and break. However, the Potchefstroom native will be encouraged by KTM’s progress, which will allow him to start rebuilding his momentum in 2026.
“I think at first, I was crashing a lot, I lost a lot in front,” Binder said Crash. “So I lost a lot of confidence in the front end of the bike.
“That always made me cautious at the front because as soon as I tried to put in a bit of effort I lost my front and went down which was very frustrating.
But we think we’ve fixed that problem a little bit, now we’ve made the front more solid, and I feel like I can push better, but now it’s rebuilding that speed.
Brad Binder must return in 2026 to save his MotoGP future with KTM.
Binder could “feel” both tires for the first time during the Valencia test. After a productive end to 2025 KTM tried several ideas. KTM’s experimentation with a narrower seat section and a different aero package helped Binder achieve a particularly strong balance.
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The South African knows he must capitalize on his progress with the RC16 KTM in 2025 to save his future with the MotoGP outfit. Binder confirmed that Pete Baer would like to keep KTMBut the contract ends this December.
Binder in 2011. If he has another season like he did in 2025, KTM will have to consider the future of the brand. So, if KTM can find a solution to the problem that caused it to lose confidence in the RC16 front end in 2025, Binder will have to make full use of it.
