Marco Bezzecchi
KTM star Brad Binder admits his notoriously robust defensive riding is sometimes to his own detriment.
According to his former KTM boss Francesco Guidotti, Binder fights like a ‘lion’ on track. He now has 120 races of experience in the premier class.
Binder produced one of his best defensive performances in the 2023 Spanish GP Sprint, his most recent victory of any description. Francesco Bagnaia, Jack Miller and Jorge Martin – all riding Ducatis – finished within a second.
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He had also beaten Marco Bezzecchi, then riding for VR46, by less than a tenth to win the Argentina Sprint a few rounds earlier.
Brad Binder: I brake ‘too late’ to keep MotoGP rivals behind
In an interview with Moto IT, Binder was asked about his reputation for being ‘incredibly difficult’ to pass. He admitted that he sometimes takes his late-braking style too far.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I think I brake a little too late sometimes. Maybe that’s also why I go too slow.
“I brake late, I stop too long, and then I don’t go anywhere. So yes, apparently I’m difficult to pass, but for me that’s a good thing.”
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On the flip side, it was put to Binder that he made more overtakes than any other rider during the 2021 season en route to sixth in the championship.
Qualifying is a long-term weakness for Binder, but he says he no longer has the speed to recover ground on a Sunday.
“I think I was worse in qualifying back then, but stronger in the race. I could always move forward. Now I think I’m still bad in qualifying, but I’m not as strong in the race anymore.
“I don’t overtake as many riders as I used to. But ultimately in MotoGP, it all comes down to pace. If you have a little more speed than the guy in front of you, you always find a way.”
Binder did deliver a commendable recovery ride in Barcelona last time out after a glitch on the lap to the grid relegated him to 20th. He eventually finished seventh, albeit with the aid of some retirements ahead.
Looking ahead to Mugello, Binder will receive a KTM upgrade that is expected to give him more top speed. That, in theory, will make him even harder to overtake.
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