- Brad Binder is confident he can rise above the odds this season and return to winning ways as the MotoGP 2026 campaign gets underway this weekend.
- The action has already kicked off with the PT Grand Prix of Thailand 2026, running from Friday, February 27 to Sunday, March 1.
- Binder revealed that his game plan for the season is straightforward: unlock more speed, sharpen his qualifying performance, and build a stronger connection with the bike.
Brad Binder is confident that he can defy the odds this season and rediscover his winning form as the 2026 MotoGP campaign fires into life this weekend, running from Friday, February 27 to Sunday, March 1.
The season has already roared into action with the PT Grand Prix of Thailand 2026, the opening showdown of the 22-round calendar at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram.
This campaign also marks the final chapter for the current 1000cc engines before the series shifts to 850cc machinery in 2027.
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Friday morning’s opening practice saw Marco Bezzecchi make an emphatic statement, topping the timesheets by nearly half a second.
The Aprilia rider laid down a late track record lap of 1m28.526s, putting clear air between himself and world champion Marc Marquez. beating the Spaniard by 0.421s.
On that note, Binder enters his seventh premier class season in what could be a defining year as he fights to extend his MotoGP career.
The Red Bull KTM rider opened his account with a solid top-ten finish, crossing the line in eighth place with a 1’29.532, just 1.006s off Bezzecchi’s pace.
Brad Binder eyes redemption in the MotoGP 2026 season
While it is not a disastrous start, the South African will accept nothing less than podium finishes this season as he looks to rebuild trust with KTM, with his current contract expiring at the end of the year.
The 2016 Moto3 world champion has not cracked the top three since the opening round of 2024, and his last premier class victory dates back to 2021.
Last season, a solo fourth place was the highlight as he limped to 11th in the standings his lowest finish since his rookie year in 2020.
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Speaking ahead of the new season, the South African ace acknowledged that while opinions fly freely, the only thing that truly matters is results, something he knows he must deliver sooner rather than later.
No matter what people say, at the end of the day, it’s down to results. As a sportsman, your happiness depends on results. The better you do, the better everything is,” Binder said during a virtual Red Bull media session.
The goal is always to win. When I go to bed at night, that is what I dream of. I’m trying my best to find a way back to the top, and fingers crossed that it happens sooner rather than later.”
The KTM rider stressed that sharper qualifying performances will go a long way toward transforming his fortunes.
Last year, Binder who also partners with leading online gaming firm SportPesa- frequently struggled to make Q2, often leaving him to fight from 13th or lower on the grid in both sprints and main races.
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Binder lays out clear-cut plan for MotoGP 2026 season
The 30-year-old two-wheel navigator, revealed that his game plan for the season is simple: extract more speed, qualify stronger, and build a deeper connection with the bike.
“I need to find extra speed to be faster on a once-off lap and qualify better. That will help me tremendously, as I was qualifying so far back. Even when I did make a comeback, I couldn’t go as far forward as I needed to,” said Binder.
“That is priority number one. Then we need to find a bit more comfort on the bike. It seems that we have done that already, as something seems to be clicking.”
This season also brings a shift in South Africa’s presence on the world stage; there will be no Moto2 representative, as Binder’s brother Darryn moves to the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.
Defending champion Marc Marquez enters as the firm favorite to claim an unprecedented eighth premier class title, with his brother Alex, Marco Bezzecchi, Pecco Bagnaia, and Pedro Acosta also expected to feature prominently.
The MotoGP sprint race gets underway at 11:00am EAT on Saturday, followed by the main event at the same time on Sunday.