Brad Binder gets ‘super, super clean' for Austrian GP

The Citizen

10 hours ago

MotoGP action returns after a month-long summer break.
It's four years since Brad Binder's last MotoGP victory and he returns to the scene of that triumph this weekend hoping to rekindle a spark of glory.
MotoGP is back from its month-long northern summer break for the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, with a number of riders determined to reset and turn around their disappointing seasons – not least Binder but also reigning world champ Jorge Martin and former champs Pecco Bagnaia and Fabio Quatararo.
The South African is having his worst spell since joining the premier motorbike racing class five years ago, with his KTM team declaring themselves dissatisfied with his showings.
Binder currently lies in 12th position on the title log.
For Sunday's race, he is joint 10th on the betting board at 41.00. The odds setters might have been a little influenced by a recent interview in which Binder said he was adopting a new mindset to deal with his difficulty in adapting to KTM's 2025 bike.
His 'naturally aggressive' style of riding, with ultra-late braking, is at odds with the bike, which demands a smoother approach. Teammate Pedro Acosta and the secondary KTM team's Maverick Vinales have adapted better – though all have struggled.
Binder said: '… you have to ride super, super clean. And that's what they [Acosta and Vinales] are doing better than I am. So that's what I need to work on.'
Tweaks to the bike's set-up would no longer take up all his time and energy.
Acosta is 18.90 for a win in Austria and Vinales the same as Binder at 41.00.
Ducati rider and multiple former champion Marc Marquez is 1.40 to win his ninth GP of the season. His rivals have apparently given up the title chase, so backing them is to expect him to have engine trouble or to crash.
Bagnaia is a 6.00 chance and Alex Marquez at 7.95.
These Betway odds are correct at time of publishing and subject to change.