Marco Bezzecchi
Michael Laverty has “heard a rumour” that Brad Binder could race in MotoAmerica in 2027 after losing his KTM MotoGP ride, should he fail to land a World Superbike seat.
Binder now appears certain to be on the MotoGP scrapheap ahead of his contract with KTM expiring at the end of this season. The South African has been a stalwart of the KTM project, having debuted in MotoGP for the Austrian brand in 2020, but has struggled in recent years.
KTM have also already swooped to replace Binder, with it now confirmed that Alex Marquez of Gresini and Fabio Di Giannantonio of VR46 will move to Munderfing next term. KTM have signed Di Giannantonio and Marquez to multi-year deals, given Pedro Acosta is off to Ducati.
Finish the sentence: In 2027, Brad Binder will be racing for …
Michael Laverty has heard that Brad Binder could move to MotoAmerica in 2027
Acosta is adamant that Binder still deserves a MotoGP ride, but no team in the premier class paddock appears to share the Spaniard’s position. So, it is said that Binder is now exploring a move to the World Superbike Championship, and Laverty has even heard that MotoAmerica may be on the cards. Laverty is also clear that it would “be a shame” if MotoGP lost Binder.
READ MORE: The best moments of Brad Binder’s MotoGP career
“I had heard rumours about MotoAmerica at one point,” Laverty said on TNT Sports 2 (10/07, 10:28) while discussing Binder’s situation. “But it is going to be a shame if we lose both Brad Binder and Jack Miller off the grid.”
Binder would not be the first rider to switch to MotoAmerica after losing their MotoGP ride, with Danilo Petrucci a recent example. Petrucci also came second in the 2022 MotoAmerica standings, before he then moved to the World Superbike Championship in the 2023 season.
Moving to MotoAmerica next year could also reunite Binder with his brother. Darryn Binder debuted in MotoAmerica’s Supersport support category this season after leaving the Moto2 paddock, and the 28-year-old even leads the standings after scoring four wins in nine races.
Sylvain Guintoli is ‘surprised’ KTM did not let Brad Binder test their 850cc MotoGP bike
Along with the rumours about MotoAmerica, it is said that Binder’s agent has spoken with Ducati’s World Superbike team about potentially replacing Nicolo Bulega with the Italian in line to move to MotoGP with VR46 next year. But Bulega’s WSBK ride is widely sought after.
It is also now said that BMW are considering Binder for a World Superbike ride next year, as the German giant are likely to move on from Petrucci after just one year. However, like with Bulega’s Ducati WSBK ride, Binder would face a lot of competition to join BMW, with Moto2 talent Manuel Gonzalez considered the leading alternative alongside Miller and Aron Canet.
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Sylvain Guintoli would not be surprised if Binder throws his hat in the ring to replace Bulega at Ducati’s World Superbike outfit next season. But Guintoli is also surprised that KTM never let Binder try their 850cc bike for MotoGP’s 2027 rules given that Pirelli is replacing Michelin.
“They’re all going to be trying to gun for that bike,” Guintoli added. “That’s the reality. So, Ducati are going to have a lot of choice there to either put [Franco] Morbidelli, they could do that, as well, if they want an Italian on it.
“I’ve always thought [that] Brad Binder, he’s got a different style – it’s a different way of riding a motorbike, and did that work with the current specs and the Michelin tyres? Well, no.
“Would it work with the Pirellis? I think it would. And I’m surprised, actually, that KTM haven’t given him a proper test on the Pirellis with the 850, because you would find out really quickly.
“After all, it’s a natural riding style, as in it’s the way you would ride any motorbike. So, you would find out very, very quickly if that works or not.”
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