Brad Binder re-signs for KTM

Red Bull KTM Ajo have extended their contract with Brad Binder, keeping the South African rider at the factory Moto2 team for the 2019 season.

It will be Binder’s third year in the intermediate class, having first signed for the KTM/Ajo Moto3 team in 2015, becoming world champion in 2016 and moving to Moto2 last year.

Binder’s current team-mate (and Moto2 race winner) Miguel Oliveira is stepping up to MotoGP next season and will be replaced by Moto3 star Jorge Martin.

 “The new agreement we have signed this weekend is fantastic,” Binder said. “I’m really excited to continue at Red Bull KTM Ajo for another year, making it five seasons with them! I feel that we still have unfinished business in Moto2, and great improvements to make, so I am very happy and it motivates me to have a whole factory supporting me again.

“That’s what I wanted, because I’m very happy as part of this family. I really want to continue growing as a rider with them and achieve great successes. The goal is always to fight for the highest honours and I think we can achieve this. This year we had a difficult start, but I know we can be up there for the rest of the season. Now it’s time to continue working hard this season and improve GP after GP.”

Binder, who took three Moto2 podiums last year, is currently seventh in the world championship standings with a best result of sixth this season.

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director, added: “It is a great pleasure to be continuing with Brad as part of our team, because we have had many fantastic times with him, including winning a Moto3 World title.

“I think that the combination of Brad, Aki Ajo and us, KTM, is very strong and we can see that he is not a rider who is wild and over the limit, but who always wants to understand what he is doing.

“I think he is ready to take the next big step in Moto2, which will surely come now. I am very happy that this combination is staying together and this shows that we want to keep our people with us, because the riders are like our children and having them continue with us is our main objective.

“Next year we will have a new challenge with the introduction of the new engine supplier, and that motivates us all. I think that with Brad and Jorge (Martin) we will have a very strong team. Thanks to Aki [Ajo] we have had the opportunity to talk with the best riders in the world for the Moto2 project, because we have built a very strong team.”