Who is KTM rider Brad Binder? Everything you need to know from career stats to his wife

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Brad Binder is the first and only South African rider to win a MotoGP Championship race, so here is everything you need to know about him.

Beginning his motorcycle Grand Prix career in 2011 in the 125cc Moto3 World Championship, Binder has been racing on KTM bikes since 2015 and he won the lightweight class the following year.

That season, Binder became the first South African to win a motorcycle Grand Prix since 1981. He would be promoted to MotoGP in 2020 with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, which he has spent his entire career in the premier class to date.

Winning in the Czech Republic in his rookie season, Binder became the first and still only South African to date to win a MotoGP Championship race. But further victories in the premier class have been hard to secure.

Brad Binder became the first South African to win a Motorcycle Grand Prix in 25 years in 2016

Binder spent three years in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup between 2009 and 2011 – achieving a best finish of 5th in 2010 – before moving to the 125cc Moto3 World Championship and making five appearances in 2011.

The South African landed a full-time seat the following year with RW Racing GP, before moving to Ambrogio Racing for 2013 and 2014. Binder struggled to find consistent results before he joined the Red Bull KTM Ajo team in 2015, riding a KTM – which he has been racing on ever since.

Binder found his feet with KTM as he finished sixth in the standings in his first season with the team with four podiums and he would find another gear in 2016. He finished on the podium in the first seven races of the season, winning three races consecutively at Jerez, Le Mans and Mugello.

His victory at Jerez marked the first motorcycle Grand Prix win from a South African in 25 years – coming after Jon Ekerold won the 1981 Italian Grand Prix. Binder went on to win the Moto3 title that year, collecting seven wins.

The South African made the step up to Moto2 the following year, remaining with Red Bull KTM Ajo. He spent three years in the intermediate class, finishing third and second in the standings in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Brad Binder is the first and only South African rider to date to win a MotoGP Championship race

Binder was afforded his chance in MotoGP in 2020 with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, where he has spent his entire career in the premier class. It would take just his third race for him to achieve glory as Binder won the Czech Republic Grand Prix.

The victory marked the first – and to date only – victory from a South African in MotoGP. Binder would go on to finish in the top five one more time that season, finishing 11th in the standings.

Binder registered almost identical records in 2021 and 2022, only failing to score points once and finishing sixth in the championship in both seasons. The South African claimed his second win in MotoGP at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix.

Binder enjoyed his best finish to date in 2023, grabbing five podiums and finishing fourth in the standings with 293 points. In 2024, he continued to display his consistency as he only failed to score points three times and finished fifth in the championship.

But who really is Binder and what is the KTM rider’s life outside of the MotoGP grid truly like? With that in mind, MotoGP News takes a deep dive into everything that you need to know about Binder…

Who is Brad Binder?

Brad Binder is a South African motorcycle rider who races with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in MotoGP. He will embark on his sixth season with the team in 2025.

How old is Brad Binder? Where was he born and what is his nationality?

Binder was born on 11 August 1995 and celebrated his 30th birthday in 2025. He was born in Potchefstroom, which is in the North West Province in South Africa.

The city is about 125km outside of Johannesburg and is situated on the Mooi River.

How tall is Brad Binder and how much does he weigh?

Standing at a height of 1.70 metres tall, Binder comes in at 5 ft 5 in, which is slightly shorter than the average height for a MotoGP rider. The South African is one of the shortest riders in 2025, with just four measuring shorter.

Binder is one of the lightest MotoGP riders, weighing 63kg (9st 12lbs), with only Fabio Di Giannantonio and Ai Ogura recorded as lighter.

How good is Brad Binder? What’s been said about him?

Binder is known for his consistency and for being a fierce competitor on track who has helped KTM battle at the front of the field.

Red Bull KTM’s team manager Francesco Guidotti referred to Binder as a ‘lion’ after he finished second at the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix having battled with Francesco Bagnaia for the win.

He noted: “At the moment, we are not able to catch the world champion who is in his best form, but Brad fought like a lion, as usual.

“Second place was hard-won because the conditions were tough, but he managed the race so well. Another brick in building our future.”

Meet Brad Binder’s wife, Courtney Renniers

Binder married his long-time girlfriend, Courtney Renniers, in December 2023. Renniers is a model and a bodybuilder and, like Binder who is one year younger than her, is South African.

Renniers has competed in the World Fitness Federation’s bikini pro ­competition and revealed in November 2024 that she was expecting a child with Binder.

What is Brad Binder’s race number?

Binder races with the number 33 in MotoGP. The South African had previously raced with the number 41, but changed to 33 as he says that the numbers look close to his initials ‘BB’.

Brad Binder’s career MotoGP stats

Binder began his motorcycle Grand Prix career in 2011 in the 125cc Moto3 World Championship. Since then, he has gone on to win the Moto3 title and several races in his career, becoming the first and only South African to win in MotoGP.