Binder finds late form in Portugal ahead of Valencia season finale
MOTOGP
Brad Binder finished fifth at the Portuguese GP this past weekend. Photo: Red Bull
Image: Red Bull
Red Bull KTM rider Brad Binder left the Algarve International Circuit a satisfied man after securing a second consecutive fifth-place finish at the Portuguese MotoGP this past weekend.
The South African collected a total of 12 points from the weekend in Portimao — one from the sprint and 11 from the main race — moving him up to 145 points overall, just one shy of breaking into the Top 10. He now trails 10th-placed Raul Fernandez, who sits on 146 points.
Although still without a win or podium this season, Binder has shown stronger form in the latter half of the campaign after a challenging start. He’ll be aiming to close the season on a high note when the curtain falls at the Valencia GP this coming weekend.
The 30-year-old expressed satisfaction with both his performance and the improved feel of the RC16, which boosted his confidence heading into the final round of the season.
“Happy with the job (Sunday). I felt I could do something decent after the Sprint with the confidence I had,” Binder said, after the race.
“I felt great on the bike, and my guys did a great job. I was able to get a good start and push on right away. It was nice to battle a bit, and it’s also good that the changes we made gives a direction for what we need further.”
Binder’s teammate Pedro Acosta (285 points) continued his impressive campaign, earning his fifth podium of the season with a third-place finish.
Despite the gap between the pair, who have fought their own battles at opposite ends of the standings, team manager Aki Ajo expressed satisfaction with both riders’ performances and looked ahead to the Valencia finale and the 2026 preseason test that follows shortly after.
“We’re really happy with today’s performance,” Ajo said. “Two riders in the top five and one on the podium.
"We’ve worked all year to have solid results, and having Pedro and Brad in the top five is really good for us at the moment. Now we move on to the final race and then the first test towards 2026, and we’ll keep pushing with the positive work we are doing.”