The Moto2 runner-up from 2019 stunned in Brno in August when he dominated the Czech GP with 5.3 seconds and clinched his and KTM’s first victory in MotoGP at the South African’s third start in the premier class.
However, Binder has not been in the top 10 since September and crashed twice – most recently at the Teruel GP when he knocked out Pramac’s Jack Miller on the first lap. In an exclusive interview with Autosport organized by Red Bull, Binder admits that he questioned his form after “everything went well” in the early races of his first MotoGP season.
“It’s funny because you are lying in bed, so to speak, thinking where did it all go wrong?” Said Binder when asked by Autosport whether his recent loss of form was difficult to bear given his strong start to 2020. “Because it seemed like it? Not easy, but at the beginning everything was just right.
“But I was starting to realize that was the weird point of the year – winning was the weird point of my rookie year, not the crashing and making mistakes, riding on people, getting off the track. All of that is the natural point of you rookie year so all in all I’m grateful for the opportunity and for taking it when I did.
“I know it will happen again. I don’t know when, but I’ll get it done for sure. It’s just a matter of time. We have a brand new opportunity here this weekend, so let’s see how we get on.”
Also read:
On Friday, Red Bull published a documentary on the South African’s rise to MotoGP race winner entitled “Brad Binder: Becoming 33”. The film shows Binder’s formative racing years with his brother Darryn – who is currently competing in Moto3 – and his rise to the Grand Prix ladder.
Binder says it’s “super cool” to have made a documentary about him and is pleased that he is showing his parents’ efforts to advance his and his brother’s racing careers.
“Yeah, it was a long drive and it was super cool to see how far we got,” he said. “My parents, they made enormous sacrifices and I can never thank them enough and without them none of this would have been possible.
“It’s so far, so good. Super-cool, it’s crazy to think there’s a documentary about me and I’m only 25 and I feel like my career is just beginning.
“So if there is no one else, then I think something is going wrong!”
You can watch ‘Brad Binder: Becoming 33’ on redbull.com