Binder brothers: go-karts to future MotoGP™ starts

Join Brad and Darryn as they run you through what it was like to try to make it in the big world of motorcycle racing

Episode 36 of the MotoGP™ Podcast is a Binder brother special. MotoGP™ has a few pairs of brothers in the paddock and Brad and Darryn Binder have one of the craziest stories of all! From getting the taste of racing by competing in South African go-karting championships, to making the switch to two wheels and not looking back.

For Brad, MotoGP™ beckons in 2020 and the South African explains his feelings ahead of the move up the KTM ranks to Red Bull KTM Tech 3. “I’m super keen. I was lucky to have a ride on the MotoGP bike already at Brno and wow, it was incredible! I think I had more fun in 30 laps around Brno than I had in the last two years.

“I’m really keen on making the step up. For sure, it’s going to be a massive challenge and it’s not going to be easy by any means but I just think it’s going to be an amazing step. I can’t imagine lining up against the fastest guys in the world. There’s a lot of guys in MotoGP I’ve looked up to my whole career, and even when I was a child, and now I’m going to be on the same grid as them.”

Brother Darryn has re-signed with CIP Green Power in the Moto3™ World Championship for the 2020 campaign, but he reveals it was his intention to move up to Moto2™ as the lightweight class machines are beginning to get a little too small for his taller frame.

“Obviously I wanted to go up to Moto2 as I’m getting a bit too big and heavy for Moto3 now. That’s one of the things I think has been a disadvantage this year so I really wanted to step up to the bigger bikes. Saying that, I’ve had a really up and down season this year. I felt like I could’ve had a lot of better results but didn’t quite work out. I’ve had a bit of bad luck and made mistakes myself so maybe another year in Moto3 is not a bad thing.

“Try and lose a bit of weight and try to be more consistent and more competitive next year. My brother’s set the perfect example and I’ve got to try to follow. I’d really like to try to get on a Moto2 bike for the following year and see how I go on that. Another year in Moto3 with some better results and hopefully things will come together.”

Further into the Podcast, Brad Binder reveals when they really started to believe that something could be made out of their racing careers. “The goal from when my dad started to bring us overseas was to try and get in the MotoGP paddock. That was always the plan. Initially in Moto3, it was trying to make something of it. The goal was to get a free ride or just get something where was could stay in the paddock and make a bit of a career out of it. Then I think, probably the year I won the championship, or the year I started to do well, was when we said, okay, maybe we can make this a bit of a career!”

To hear plenty more from both Brad and Darryn, all you have to do is click this link! Sit back and enjoy as two of the most chilled out characters in the paddock make what is a tough road to stardom seem oh so simple.

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