Brad Binder’s ‘awesome’ first impression of new KTM crew chief Phil Marron at Valencia test

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Brad Binder was joined in the KTM garage by new crew chief Phil Marron at the Valencia test on Tuesday. The change has been made after a disappointing season for the South African.

Binder finished outside the top 10 in the standings for the first time since his rookie season. It was the first time he’d gone a whole year without a podium in the premier class.

Perhaps part of the problem is that Binder is being compared to Pedro Acosta, who appears to be a generational talent. The KTM veteran did beat satellite duo Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales, though the latter was hampered by injury.

Marron was available to KTM after following Toprak Razgatlioglu out of BMW’s World Superbikes team. Razgatlioglu wanted Marron at Pramac, but Yamaha have signed Alberto Giribuola for the role instead.

Brad Binder delivers ‘really cool’ verdict on new Phil Marron partnership

Speaking to the MotoGP world feed during the post-season test, Binder sounded enthusiastic about working with Marron.

Binder has worked with Andres Madrid for a decade, but isn’t concerned about the adaptation process. Madrid will pair up with Bastianini, who was previously assisted by Giribuola.

Northern Irishman Marron helped Razgatlioglu win back-to-back titles at WSBK. He last worked in MotoGP in 2016, when he was Eugene Laverty’s right-hand man.

“It’s been really cool so far,” he said. “Phil’s an awesome dude, really nice guy. He’s slotted straight into the team really well, so yeah, it’s been awesome.

“I’ve had Andres since 2015, so it’s been a really cool 10 years. For me, with Phil starting, it’s for sure a little bit different, but when I walked into the box, everyone else was still the same!

“He’s had a lot of success that side, so it’s clear that he really knows what he’s doing. I’m looking forward to really taking this adventure head-on. Let’s see how far we can get.”

Why Brad Binder should be crossing his fingers for Pedro Acosta to leave KTM

It’s clear that Binder is fighting for his future in 2026 – not just at KTM, but in MotoGP as a whole.

Binder nearly lost his seat to Vinales before the Spaniard suffered an injury. They would have swapped places, costing the former his factory rider status.

Binder’s talks with KTM have been described as ‘uncomfortable’ after his drop off on track. It may be that he needs Acosta to leave so there are two seats available at Pit Beirer’s squad, rather than one.

KTM’s priority is to keep Acosta, so Binder may be one of the riders who are made to wait before receiving clarity on his future.