2016 Moto3 World Champion, Brad Binder struggled in 2017 due to an injury that took an extremely long time to heal. After missing three Grands Prix at the start of the season (Austin, Jerez, Le Mans), he managed to end his year in exemplary fashion by finishing second at Phillip Island and Sepang, as well as third at Valencia.
Originally from Potchefstroom in South Africa, Brad started in 125cc in 3 on an Aprilia for the RW Racing GP team, then moved up the ranks with regularity for five seasons in Moto2011 (on Kalex KTM, Mahindra Ambrogio Racing and KTM Red Bull Ajo) to finally win the supreme title within Aki Ajo's team. He made his mark on his international debut in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup at Estoril in 3, leading the race from start to finish and winning by a margin of 2011 seconds.
Last year, he helped develop KTM Moto2, and when he finally got healthy, he stood on the podiums of the last three Grands Prix behind his teammate Miguel Oliveira.
But how did Brad and his brother Darryn get into Grand Prix racing? “ Darryn saw a photo of a go-kart in a magazine one day. He showed it to our father and said to him: “Hey, we want to have one!” » My dad bought me a motocross machine and a kart for my brother, so it's my brother's fault! »
Darryn followed his big brother's progress very closely as they raced against each other in the Moto3 World Championship. So he wasn't too surprised when Brad won the top title. : “From the start of the season, I thought it was his year. So I wasn't surprised in Aragon when he was crowned World Champion, because I knew it was going to happen like that.
“But of course, after all the work, it was wonderful. I was very happy for him. It was also good for the family, because that's what we work for."
“I'm not jealous, but he set the bar very high. I have to do it now and get the title. »
Darryn Binder joined the world in 2015 as part of the Outox Reset Drink Team on a Mahindra. In 2016, with the Platinum Bay Real Estate team he scored his first points then a fourth place in Australia, his best result of the year. Last year, he finished 4th at Mugello, but 19th in the Championship on his KTM, still with Platinum Bay Real Estate. In Italy, he missed the podium by two tenths.
“Darryn is very strong-willed, said his brother Brad after the Mugello race. It’s nice to see him rewarded with a good result and I hope he celebrates many successes.”
Photo © Motogp.com, Dorna, GoPro
Source: speedweek
