Marco Bezzecchi
KTM ace Brad Binder looks set to be left without a MotoGP ride for 2027, as Tech3 are now in advanced talks to sign Luca Marini of Honda and Moto2 prospect Senna Agius.
This weekend’s meet at the TT Circuit Assen only marks round 10 out of 22, and yet the final pieces of the 2027 MotoGP rider market are already falling into place. And talks this week in the Netherlands have seemingly pushed Marini right to the front of the queue to join Tech3.
While it is still not official, it has been widely known for months that Marini will leave Honda once his contract expires at the end of 2026. Honda are set to sign Fabio Quartararo and are expected to pick between David Alonso or Diogo Moreira for a works HRC seat next season.
Likewise, an overhaul of the KTM fold is on its way, with Binder expected to leave and it now announced that Pedro Acosta will join Ducati in 2027. KTM’s satellite line-up at Tech3 is also set to change, as Motorsport.com claims Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini are both out.
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Luca Marini has convinced KTM boss Pit Beirer to let him join Tech3 in 2027
It is an open secret now that KTM have signed Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio for 2027. Yet there remained a small possibility that KTM could demote Binder to Tech3, but it seems that the South African will fall off the grid at the end of 2026 barring a late surprise.
READ MORE: Get to know Luca Marini, from his net worth to half-brother Valentino Rossi
Instead, ‘all signs’ point to Marini joining Tech3 in 2027, as talks are now advancing after the 28-year-old and KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer engaged in a successful ‘initial meeting’ at Assen on Friday. KTM held ‘some reservations’ about Marini joining Tech3, but Beirer has now given the transfer the ‘green light’ after being impressed by what the Italian had to say.
Marini had an outside chance for a return to VR46 for 2027, instead of joining Tech3, but he does not want to rejoin half-brother Valentino Rossi’s crew. The Italian feared the move may ‘damage his credibility’ in MotoGP, so is giving the option of a switch to Tech3 his full focus.
Tech3 are also locked in negotiations with Moto2 ace Agius about a 2027 MotoGP ride, as it is now believed that KTM do not plan to use their options to extend Vinales and Bastianini’s contracts. Instead, Vinales will join Binder on the scrapheap without a seat on the 2027 grid.
KTM’s decision will also free Bastianini to join Trackhouse in 2027, with it now suggested he could even announce the move as early as next Tuesday. KTM’s options to extend Bastianini and Vinales’ contracts through 2027 will expire on June 30, and neither are likely to be kept.
Brad Binder’s camp is exploring a World Superbike switch for 2027, possibly with Ducati
Finish the sentence: In 2027, Brad Binder will be racing for …
Marini and Agius’ likely moves to Tech3 on top of KTM signing Marquez and Di Giannantonio for 2027 means Binder and Vinales both face being left without a ride in MotoGP. It remains to be seen what the South African and Spaniard decide to seek next to prolong their careers.
READ MORE: The best moments of Brad Binder’s MotoGP career
A move to the World Superbike Championship next season seems the most likely avenue for Binder. A recent report by GPOne claims his manager, Jeremy Debize, is already exploring a move for Binder to possibly replace Nicolo Bulega in Ducati’s factory World Superbike team.
Ducati had dreamed about replacing Bulega with Raul Fernandez, but he is now set to stay at Trackhouse alongside the incoming Bastianini next year. The Bologna Bullets now intend to take their time to decide Bulega’s heir, so they can see which MotoGP stars are available.
One alternative to Binder could be VR46’s Franco Morbidelli, who has also set his sights on replacing Bulega in Ducati’s World Superbike team in an effective switch for the two riders. So, Binder’s camp is also looking into any options at independent World Superbike teams.
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