Binder puts up a fight in his bid to sign MotoGP career off on a high

Brad Binder concluded his second-to-last season in MotoGP on a high note, showcasing the same tenacious riding style that has become his trademark. Starting from 18th on the grid, the Red Bull KTM rider defied expectations to finish the British Grand Prix in eighth place. In the sprint race on Saturday, he narrowly missed out on points but managed to climb seven places to secure an 11th position.

Heading into Aragon in three weeks' time, Binder remains in 13th place in the premier class championship with 72 points. He is just 14 points away from the top 10 and aims to finish his MotoGP career on a high before potentially moving to the BMW factory team in the World Superbike Championship in 2027.

Binder expressed his satisfaction with the weekend, stating, "My weekend got a lot better from Saturday afternoon. I felt better in the sprint with used tires and in the race I knew I had to be clever and was kind to the tire...maybe a bit too much because I still felt grip at the end." He added, "In general, I’m a bit happier than normal because I could push the bike more. It’s working the way I prefer."

Looking ahead, Binder acknowledged that the last two Grand Prixs have been better than expected, though still not at the level he desires. "The last two GPs have been better – still not near the results I want but we’re making progress – so let’s keep going." Raul Fernandez secured a victory at Silverstone, positioning himself as a potential dark horse for the title.

Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi completed the podium for Aprilia on the factory team. Ai Ogura of Team Trackhouse Aprilia, who did not finish the race, is next in line with 203 points. Marc Marquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio, and Fernandez follow with 200, 199, and 184 points respectively.