South Africa’s Brad Binder faces uncertain future in MotoGP with KTM’s financial battles

Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo (left) and Jorge Martín of Pramac Racing pose at a press conference before the MotoGP Test at Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia in November 2023. Photo: Mirco Lazzari gp/ Getty Images

By Yanga Sibembe

26 Jan 2025

A challenge to Ducati’s dominance seems unlikely as KTM’s financial troubles threaten the Austrian company’s place in motorsport.

The 2025 season of the world’s most riveting road motorcycle competition, MotoGP, speeds back into action at the end of February.

Once again, Brad Binder will be flying the South African flag high, even with his team’s future uncertain. KTM, which he represents, has tried to push the dominant Ducati over the past two seasons, to no avail. Now the Austrian manufacturer finds itself trying to navigate a slippery track as it battles financial strife, hampering Binder’s chances of improving on last season’s showings.

Binder finished fifth overall on the world championship standings in 2024, trailing the “fabulous four” of Ducati. He fought a valiant fight during the season, keeping the Ducatis honest in what was his fourth year in MotoGP.

Despite being consistent in placing in the top 10 during races, Binder only managed one podium – in the first race of the season in Qatar. Though he remained competitive in 2024, he dropped a place and 76 points from his overall finish in 2023, in which he managed fourth place and five podium placings.

“Look, it’s super clear we all expected more this season,” Binder said during an interview with Crash.net late last year.

“The reality of the situation is that we’ve been struggling a little bit more than we would have liked… No one’s super happy where we are, that’s for sure.”

In November 2024, KTM announced it had placed itself in administration to prevent bankruptcy. The company is said to be in debt to the tune of almost €3-billion.

This revelation has put its MotoGP future in doubt. It is set to be part of the 2025 campaign, but beyond this season, KTM may pull out, especially if it is to survive the turbulent times it is facing.

However, the situation may also change for the better within the next 12 months.

Uncertain future

Stefan Pierer, KTM chief executive, said: “Over the past three decades we have grown to become Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. We inspire millions of motorcycle riders around the world with our products. Now we are taking a pit stop for the future. The KTM brand is my life’s work, and I will fight for it.”

Having grown from 160 employees and 6,000 bikes produced in 1992 to about 5,000 employees and 1,000 motorcycles a day, KTM is rightfully keen to maintain its reputation as the biggest player on the European continent.

“We build our motorcycles reliably and robustly for every race, for every terrain,” said Gottfried Neumeister, KTM’s co-CEO.

“Now it’s about making the company robust for the future, so that we can quickly focus again on what we do best: building the coolest motorcycles in the world.”

KTM finds itself in a major conundrum. Even if it departs MotoGP at the end of 2025 as a cost-cutting measure, the company may face financial penalties from Dorna Sports for reneging on its contract, which is valid until 2026. Dorna facilitates MotoGP and is also the event’s commercial rights holder.

Binder Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo (left) and Jorge Martín of Pramac Racing before the MotoGP Test at Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia in November 2023. (Photo: Mirco Lazzari gp / Getty Images)

Acosta affair

Any cost-cutting by KTM while remaining in MotoGP would significantly affect the competitiveness of its riders – Binder and his new racing partner, prodigy Pedro Acosta.

He replaced Jack Miller, who has joined Pramac Racing.

Acosta, who was not short of suitors before officially joining KTM at the end of last season, has made it clear that if the situation at his new home does not improve, he will jump bike.

“Pedro is a diamond; he is 20 years old. He has already shown a lot and any factory would be excited to have his services,” Albert Valera, Acosta’s manager, told Motorsport Network.

“Nobody warned us of this possibility when we signed the contract in May. We were sold that KTM was a giant with a huge financial muscle. For us it has been an absolute surprise.

“It has not been easy news to digest. Luckily, from what we are told, the project is going to continue in MotoGP, so there is no danger of not having a bike for 2025. What we do wonder is in what conditions we will be able to compete,” Valera said.

Binder (29), the first and only South African to win a race in MotoGP, will be asking himself similar questions, especially after the season he had competing with the Ducatis.

He would not be short of suitors either if KTM did end up leaving MotoGP.

Title lost already

Apart from KTM’s financial struggles, there have been some other shake-ups since the end of the 2024 MotoGP campaign. This includes the switching of last season’s winner, Jorge Martín, from Prima Pramac Racing to Aprilia.

Martín moved after he was snubbed for a place in the Ducati factory team alongside Francesco Bagnaia, with Ducati instead choosing to promote Marc Márquez to the factory team.

In 2024, Márquez showed glimpses of the form that saw him dominate the premier division of motorcycle racing between 2013 and 2019. In that period, he was champion six times before injuries curtailed his reign.

Last season, Márquez was part of a quartet of Ducati-powered riders who finished in the top four, clinching third in the standings behind Martín and Bagnaia.

Because of his move from Pramac to Aprilia, reigning world champion Martín has already all but conceded defeat in his title defence.

“Bringing Aprilia to fight for the championship won’t be easy, so the ambition for the new season isn’t that,” Martín recently said on the Tengo Un Plan podcast. “The opportunity could present itself maybe as early as 2026.

“But for now, I just have to try to do my best,” the Spaniard added.

In spite of Ducati losing a rider of Martín’s quality, as well as its partnership with Pramac (which will be under Yamaha from 2025), all riders on Ducatis will still be the ones to beat in the forthcoming season.

After all, the Italian manufacturer has been at the summit of the constructors’ championship for a mighty five successive seasons. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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