Marco Bezzecchi
KTM have now given the clearest sign yet that Brad Binder is set to leave the Austrian crew’s entire MotoGP outfit after asking Pedro Acosta to test their 850cc bike at Brno.
Binder faces an uncertain future with KTM beyond the end of the current season as he is set to be out of contract. The 30-year-old has been a KTM racer since 2015 whilst in Moto3, but his results in recent MotoGP campaigns have created questions about his outlook in orange.
What the South African has managed on the KTM RC16 especially since Acosta joined him in the factory team in 2025 has particularly raised doubts over his spot at the team. Acosta put a 22-0 beating on Binder in qualifying last year, and he already holds an 8-0 margin this year.
Acosta is also fourth in the 2026 riders’ standings ahead of this weekend’s Czech Grand Prix with 132 points and three podium finishes to his name. Binder, in contrast, is only 13th with 48 points, and his best results of P7 leave him behind Tech3’s Enea Bastianini on countback.
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KTM have asked Pedro Acosta, and not Brad Binder, to test their 850cc bike at Brno
Yet even with it an open secret in the paddock that Ducati have signed Acosta for 2027, with the Italian giant deciding to replace Francesco Bagnaia, KTM appear to trust the Spaniard to test their 850cc bike for next season’s regulatory overhaul more than they now trust Binder.
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A report by AS claims KTM have now asked Acosta to try the 850cc bike they are developing in next Monday’s test at Brno. The 22-year-old ‘happily’ accepted KTM’s offer of a ride in the test, as it gives him a chance to also try the tyres that Pirelli is developing ahead of its debut.
Pirelli will replace Michelin as MotoGP’s sole tyre provider from 2027 when the series makes a host of changes, including banning ride height devices and introducing wider aerodynamic restrictions. The biggest rule tweak is the reduction in engine capacity from 1,000 to 850cc.
Next Monday marks the first time that MotoGP will hold an official test for race riders to try their respective brand’s 850cc machines, which their test riders have been developing. So, it was thought that teams would block any rider who is set to change brands from taking part.
Aprilia are only expected to test with Marco Bezzecchi at Brno, while Yamaha are set to lean on test rider Augusto Fernandez and Pramac star Toprak Razgatlioglu. The Turkish ace is the only full-time race rider set to stay with Yamaha. Yet KTM do not appear to be following suit.
Finish the sentence: In 2027, Brad Binder will be racing for …
LCR team boss Lucio Cecchinello believes there is value in riders testing 850cc bikes for the teams they are leaving, such as Fabio Quartararo ahead of his expected switch from Yamaha to Honda. Even a race rider who is on the way out can provide very valuable data for a team.
But KTM asking Acosta to try their 850cc bike despite his widely anticipated move to Ducati is a clear sign that the Austrian crew are set to release Binder from their entire ranks. It even seems that a demotion to Tech3 is not on offer for the two-time MotoGP Grand Prix winner.
KTM’s decision may not come as much of a surprise to Binder, though, even if Acosta testing their 850cc bike at Brno next Monday might. Reports emerged earlier in June that KTM have already told Binder that he will not get a new contract and that his future will be elsewhere.
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