Marco Bezzecchi
Brad Binder has revealed his confidence over KTM making a ‘step forward’ in the 2026 MotoGP development race, highlighting how one new upgrade should give him more top speed ‘for free’ at the Italian Grand Prix.
Each manufacturer on the grid will be looking to eke out as much engine power as possible as we approach the Italian Grand Prix, due to the Mugello Circuit being renowned as the fastest and most demanding race track on the 22-race calendar.
Predict the order of the KTM riders in the 2026 MotoGP standings
While KTM’s power unit is known for its aggressive acceleration and high-end power delivery, it is still a far cry from the best-in-class engine that Ducati have boasted since the current era of regulations took effect.
With MotoGP freezing the development of engines for any constructor outside of Rank D in the concessions rankings, it means that KTM have no way of bolstering their fairly average power unit before the rulebook changes in 2027.
However, there are still a plethora of ways that the Mattighofen-based factory can improve the RC16s, which largely comes through the aerodynamic department.
Brad Binder reveals KTM’s set-up discovery that could transform his 2026
After the conclusion of MotoGP’s second in-season test of the 2026 campaign, Brad Binder offered his thoughts on KTM’s development efforts to the journalists in attendance at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
“It was a short day of testing – we didn’t cover too many kilometres,” he started, via Speedweek. “We used our used tyres from the weekend throughout the day, and I was actually quite happy with the pace I was able to achieve with them.”
Will Brad Binder be on the MotoGP grid in 2027?
“We played around with the damping a bit. Nothing crazy, it seemed to work quite well on the slippery track, and apart from that, we tried a slightly different balance configuration – I did a few laps with it, but we had to tweak the setup a little just before the rain.
“All in all, it was a pretty good test, considering how few laps we did. To be honest, though, I feel pretty good, and I’m ready for Mugello.”
It’s been a difficult campaign so far for the South African rider, but his comments seem highly optimistic, thanks to the work that KTM engineers have put in over the last few weeks.
“I feel that we’ve found a slightly different set-up since Sunday at Le Mans, and I think we’ve taken a step forward because the whole bike feels easier to ride.
“I quite like it, and it looks like I’ll be getting a fairing update next week, which will be great – a bit more top speed, practically for free. Let’s see what we can make of it.”
- READ MORE: Brad Binder looks ‘best we’ve seen in years’ after what Michael Laverty saw at Catalan Grand Prix
Brad Binder holds the all-time MotoGP record for the fastest recorded speed
If the RC16 is able to reach the heights of Binder’s effort at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix, then the South African could be in store for a very impressive result at Mugello.
During that year’s edition of the Grand Prix, Binder set the all-time MotoGP record for the fastest recorded speed, clocking 366.1 km/h (227.5 mph) on the 1.141 km (0.709 miles) long start/finish straight.
Binder is still on the hunt for his first victory in the premier class since his sophomore season in 2021, while factory KTM teammate Pedro Acosta is still waiting to break his duck entirely.
It’s certainly an optimistic verdict from the 30-year-old regarding KTM’s improvements, but it remains to be seen how that will translate into results on track.
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