• Darryn Binder is about to make his MotoGP debut in 2022.
• The rider is the brother of two-time MotoGP race winner Brad Binder.
• If successful, Darryn will ride for SRT Yamaha next year.
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Two South African riders will be on the MotoGP grid next year if everything goes according to plan. Darryn Binder, younger brother of two-time MotoGP race winner Brad, could be on the cusp of his premier class debut in 2022. Darry had a test run on Yamaha’s R1 Superbike in Brno on Tuesday (August 17), with a successful outing that resulted in a possible contract with the SRT Yamaha team.
Binder is currently racing in Moto3 for the SRT team, but with a jump into MotoGP he becomes the first rider since Jack Miller in 2015.
The SRT MotoGP Team needs two drivers for 2022 after massive developments in the driver market in the run-up to the new season.
Darryn (left) and Brad Binder on a recent vacation in South Africa
Big changes at Yamaha
SRT Yamaha is a satellite team of the Yamaha factory team, although it is not uncommon for riders on both teams to switch from one team to the other. Binder’s chance for a seat at SRT Yamaha comes after the factory team announced that the current rider will be Maverick Vinales will not race for her next year.
His upcoming departure offered Franco Morbidelli the opportunity to join the works team from SRT Yamaha. MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, another SRT Yamaha rider, has announced his retirement at the end of the 2021 season, which means the Yamaha satellite team will have to fill both seats.
SRT Yamaha had two perspectives in mind for their motorcycles – Raul Fernandez and Marco Bezzecchi, both Moto2 riders. Unfortunately for SRT Yamaha, Fernandez has signed a two-year deal with the KTM Tech 3 MotoGP team, while Bezzecchi will make his premier class debut for Rossi’s newly formed VR46 Ducati team. These developments and its excellence in 2021 prompted SRT Yamaha to turn to Binder.
SRT Yamaha will consider Moto2 riders Xavi Vierge and Jake Dixon as possible riders for the second bike.
After Binder’s test on the R1 on Thursday, several publications speculate about his leap into the premier class, as news broke earlier this week of Petrona’s decision to end its SRT sponsorship. Accordingly Autosport.com, SRT has confirmed that the team will make an announcement at the British Grand Prix this coming weekend.
There will also no longer be full factory support, but two Yamaha ‘B spec’ motorcycles for the 2022 season, Autosport.com reported.
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