Brad Binder did not miss his entry into MotoGP this year while confirming all the good things that KTM has thought of him since the start of his career. The South African thus achieved the feat of winning his first Grand Prix at this level of competition, a performance which opened the Austrian brand's victory counter in the category. He is the rookie of the season, and even if there were also mistakes and falls, the results are positive. Before launching into the 2021 fray, he has a thought for a teammate who will leave him: Pol Espargaró.
Brad Binder is the archetype of the pilot who makes his employer happy. He only thinks about motorcycle racing and puts in hard work to succeed. A character detected by KTM who has always followed him, from his title to Moto3 to his exploits in Moto2 going through this year in MotoGP. It didn't take long for him to perform well in this peloton, a rapid adaptation that Brad Binder also attributes to the good reception he received from Pol Espargaro.
The South African comments on Motorsport-total : " Pol was a very good reference for me this year. He was very fast on all tracks. It was great to work with him and also see his data. I liked having a teammate like him ».
Brad Binder appreciated the pilot but also the man Pol Espargaro who appears as an always pleasant character. “ He's a very cool guy “he assures. " Life in the box was a joy. It was very cool and I had a great year with him. I will definitely miss him ».
That being said, the atmosphere in the stand KTM should not be weighed down by the new arrival Miguel Oliveira. Indeed, the South African and the Portuguese know each other very well. The two were already teammates in Moto3 (2015) and Moto2 (2017 and 2018).
Brad Binder sees an old accomplice arriving
As I will espargaro was until now the reference at KTM in order of seniority, the next generation will have to take their responsibilities: “ With Pol leaving us, Miguel and I will definitely have to work harder », estimates moreover Binder. But he doesn’t think it will be a problem: “ at the same time, I'm looking forward to it. I have one year of experience, I know the bike and what we need. I now have a much better understanding of what we need to change when it feels not so good ».
As teammates in lower grades, Binder et Olive tree showed that they could succeed and that there was no problem between them. That is why Binder said: “ our team is very good and our bike works very well. We can certainly do even better, and I intend to do my part ».
At the 2020 championship, Brad Binder finished eleventh while Miguel Oliveira, with two successes, ranked ninth. The best position of a KTM went to Pol Espargaro, which comes in a good fifth place. The latter will be a Repsol Honda rider in 2021.
