KTM crew chief says Brad Binder is doing something he’s ‘never’ seen from a MotoGP rider

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Brad Binder has been having a difficult 2025 campaign with KTM, having yet to finish in the top five from the opening eight races of the season.

The South African rider did not have high hopes for 2025 after he encountered issues with his RC16 over the winter. Mat Oxley feared KTM had a ‘massive problem’ going into the year as Binder suffered vibrations in the season opener in Thailand.

The problems have persisted for the 29-year-old as he has struggled to find performance all year. Binder has managed a best result of sixth at Jerez as he is the lowest-ranked KTM rider alongside Tech3’s Enea Bastianini with 35 points.

He had looked on course for a strong result last time out at Aragon after qualifying a brilliant sixth behind teammate Pedro Acosta. But Binder suffered his third retirement of the season as he crashed his RC16 at high speed, adding more to his woes in 2025.

KTM crew chief Andres Madrid has ‘never’ seen a MotoGP rider ‘reset and deliver’ like Brad Binder

Binder and Acosta have been ‘demanding’ action from KTM after visiting the factory in Austria. The pair have been unsatisfied by the bike’s progression as they struggle to match the frontrunners.

But despite his frustrations, Binder’s crew chief Andres Madrid has lauded his ability to ‘reset and deliver’ and how he is ‘fully motivated’ for every race. Speaking with On Track Off Road, he claims he has ‘never’ seen this from another MotoGP rider.

“All you can do is keep working and be as professional as you can, and I think Brad is doing this,” he stresses. “No matter how bad the previous weekend might have been, he tries to follow all our work plans and never, ever gives up,” he said.

“He is fully motivated for every Grand Prix. Even from one day to another: if we have a bad qualifying then you know he will still go ‘beyond’ for the race.

“This is something that I’ve never seen in a rider quite like Brad: it’s that capacity to reset and deliver.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Brad Binder from career stats to wife

Are KTM beginning to turn a corner after the Aragon test?

KTM riders are becoming more critical of the manufacturer now that they have been saved by shareholders Bajaj Auto. They had been restricted from saying too much to the media amid their desperate financial situation.

The manufacturer had an encouraging outing at Aragon, with Acosta finishing an impressive fourth – his joint-best finish of the season. KTM have continued that momentum from the previous race and the test at the Italian Grand Prix.

Maverick Vinales set the fastest time in free practice, gaining automatic qualification to Q2 alongside Acosta. Binder needs to find ‘extra pace’ to catch Vinales as the Tech3 rider has been able to find more performance from the RC16 than he has.

Madrid says Binder has lost ‘confidence’ in the Michelin tyres in 2025. But the South African rider continues to work hard behind the scenes to regain that ability that saw him finish fifth in the standings last season.