Former World Superbike team manager Brad Binder has stressed the importance of ‘interest’ amid rumors he could be the last MotoGP rider to make the switch.
Binder’s future is in doubt. After KTM hired Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio to form a new factory line.
With little hint of interest from elsewhere, the only hope seems to be KTM’s satellite ride, however Maverick Vinales could be a young rider partner at Tech3. Instead.
Does Brad Binder have the hunger to succeed in World Superbikes?
When a MotoGP veteran loses their seat, they typically have three main options: move to another series such as Superbikes, become a test rider, or retire entirely.
A year after Miguel Oliveira joined WSBK, Yamaha let him go binding It is inevitable to follow. The same is true of Oliveira’s former teammate Jack Miller, who may soon find himself surplus to requirements.
Will Brad Binder be on the MotoGP grid in 2027?
Speaking Manuel Pesino’s YouTube channelFormer Honda WSBK boss Jose Manuel Escamez suggested Miller would be ‘perfect’ for the series as he decided to continue racing as a ‘single’ rider.
Escamez knows Binder from his time in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, but he’s not sure if the 30-year-old South African still has the same fire.
Asked which MotoGP rider he would sign, apart from Marc Marquez, Escamez replied: “Miller, he is the only one I see because he has a riding style suitable for a superbike, he is a very good rider and he is eager to continue racing.”
When told that Binder was a strong candidate, he replied: “Oh yes, Binder. I’ve known Binder since he was a kid because I was with him doing the Red Bull Rookies and he’s a very brave rider.”
“It’s also true that, with age, things look different and maybe he doesn’t like it as much, but I feel like Miller is one of those guys who is excited to race, you know?
“Here, it’s usually more about passion than anything else. Do you like it or not? Yeah, okay, well, that’s the most important thing.”
The implication is that riders who only see WSBK as a career safety net may be swallowed up by hungry competitors. Of course, MotoGP pedigree does not guarantee a seat, with limited vacancies.
Niccolò Bulega is about to go to VR46. It would open up a highly sought-after position at Ducati, but that could be swapped directly to an Italian rider, possibly Franco Morbidelli.
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