Brad Binder: Navigating Challenges in the 2025 MotoGP Season

In the world of MotoGP, the 2025 season has posed significant challenges for many riders, but one competitor who has consistently been a point of focus is Brad Binder. Over the past four seasons, he has built a reputation as a reliable front-runner, known for achieving strong results and consistently earning points throughout the racing calendar. His track record speaks volumes; from 2021 to the end of the 2024 season, he secured a championship finish no lower than sixth place, which included one remarkable victory and ten podium appearances. Notably, throughout his career, he has never been outperformed by a fellow KTM rider, even during 2024 when Pedro Acosta made an impressive debut in MotoGP with Tech3 on factory equipment.

However, the situation in 2025 has been starkly different for Binder. With four races left in the season, he finds himself in a disappointing 11th place in the championship standings, accumulating only 118 points and managing just a single top-five finish. In contrast, Acosta, now Binder’s teammate at the factory team, is five spots ahead with 215 points and has already claimed three podium finishes this season.

Binder himself is candid about his current predicament. During an interview at the KTM hospitality area in Mandalika, he shared his frustrations. "Lately, it’s not enjoyable to race at the back. Obviously, I want to be up front, but it’s the reality we’re facing," he remarked. "The truth is, this is the speed we’re dealing with right now, and we need to push hard to improve and move forward."

Binder’s MotoGP Career Statistics

To better understand Binder’s trajectory, it’s essential to look at his performance statistics over the years:

*Season ongoing

KTM’s Off-Track Struggles

The challenges faced by KTM off the track in 2024 and 2025 have put the team in a difficult position at the start of the season. However, there has been a notable improvement in the competitiveness of the RC16 since the Czech GP in July, particularly following an aerodynamic upgrade introduced in Austria, which brought the bike closer to the front-runners.

While Acosta has managed to benefit from the upgraded bike, Binder has not yet experienced a seamless weekend with the new RC16 model. The 30-year-old rider has come to terms with the difficulties of this season but remains optimistic that both he and KTM will achieve a breakthrough. He commented, "I wouldn’t say it’s hard to accept; it feels quite normal. I haven’t had many good results, and I struggled to finish races early in the season. There was a time when we faced some difficulties, but now things are much more stable, and we have a better understanding of our situation. There’s a lot of exciting development work happening at KTM, and I’m eager to see how it unfolds."

Technical Challenges

Binder’s current issues can be traced back to a lack of front-end grip and vibrations from the rear tire, challenges that have intermittently affected all KTM riders this year. "The team is working on adjusting our chassis," he explained. "We’ve encountered significant chatter and are missing some front grip, so they’re experimenting with stiffness and balance to alleviate these problems."

When asked if changes were needed either on the bike or in his riding style, Binder admitted that he has attempted to adapt his riding approach. "I’ve been trying to modify my riding style for a while, and I can manage it to some extent, but I still need more front-end grip," he clarified. "If we can strike a balance between the front and rear that allows for a more forgiving front end and eliminate our chatter issues, we’d be in a significantly better position right now."

Upcoming Developments

Recent tests have indicated that other riders, such as Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia, have made significant strides in their bike’s performance. Bagnaia reportedly returned to a version of last year’s GP24 during a test with a 2025 engine, which provided an opportunity for other competitors to test new components. Binder believes that these new developments could positively impact his performance in the latter half of the season. "We tested some upgrades that are now in production, and there are some promising developments coming our way," he stated.

Disparity Among Team Mates

A concerning trend for KTM has been the widening performance gap between Acosta and his fellow riders. During the Japanese GP, Acosta qualified fourth, only 0.158 seconds shy of pole position, while the other three factory riders found themselves starting far behind, outside the first five rows. Maverick Vinales’ recent lack of speed can be attributed to an injury; he quickly adapted to the RC16 during pre-season testing and achieved a second-place finish in Qatar before being penalized for a tire pressure infraction that demoted him to 12th. Enea Bastianini has also had a rollercoaster season, enjoying some highs, including a third-place finish in the Brno sprint before the summer break and returning to the podium in Barcelona.

This leaves Binder as the only KTM rider yet to achieve a podium finish in 2025. He acknowledged Acosta’s impressive performance while offering some insight into the disparity between the Spaniard and his teammates. "At the start of the year, it seemed like one weekend one rider would excel, and the next weekend it would be another. But then Pedro managed to align his bike’s setup to something more akin to what we used last season. He has consistently stuck to a more conventional chassis setup, which has allowed him to perform consistently," Binder explained. "Meanwhile, we’ve been experimenting with various setups that haven’t yielded results, and at certain tracks, we’ve struggled from the first lap, leaving us unable to make adjustments for the rest of the weekend. It’s been quite challenging. But I must say, he has done an incredible job, and it’s impressive to watch him ride."

Signs of Improvement

Despite the challenges, Binder did experience a glimmer of hope during the Indonesian GP, where he achieved his best finish of the season. He climbed from 15th on the starting grid to finish a commendable fourth, just a second away from a podium finish. While he acknowledged that the unique conditions in Mandalika played a role in his performance, the way he navigated through the field was a promising sign for the remainder of the season. "Mandalkia is certainly a unique place, but I truly hope this marks a turning point for me because this season has been incredibly tough," Binder said. "It felt great to finish fourth again and to battle with other riders. However, the conditions here are unusual, with low grip levels and unique tire characteristics. We’ll see how we fare when we return to Europe."

While it may be premature to draw definitive conclusions based on the Indonesian weekend, achieving a top-five finish should certainly boost the confidence of a rider who has faced numerous hurdles this season. As Binder looks forward to the concluding races of the current regulation cycle, he hopes that 2025 is merely a minor setback rather than a trend, especially as he approaches the conclusion of the unique three-year contract he signed with KTM in 2022.

In the world of MotoGP, every season brings its unique challenges and triumphs, and for Brad Binder, the journey is far from over. With determination and the right developments, he aims to reclaim his place among the top competitors in the upcoming races.