For many years, Binder was the figurehead of the Mattighofen manufacturer's MotoGP project, but since 2025, his performance curve has been trending downwards. In the current rider standings, he is 126 points behind teammate Pedro Acosta.
A Difficult Time
"The last two years have been difficult," admits Binder during a media session at the Red Bull Ring. "If I knew exactly what was wrong, I would have fixed the problem by now. There were certainly some tough days."
At last weekend's San Marino Grand Prix in Misano, the former Moto3 champion experienced one of his low points.
In qualifying, Binder couldn't get beyond 19th place, and in the race, he at least managed some damage limitation with eleventh place. Looking back, Binder says: "It was an absolutely terrible weekend."
He never found the pace needed for a better position from the very first session.
A Fresh Start in Austria
In Austria, Binder is hoping for a fresh start. He grins: "The track suits my riding style much better. Our bike should also work well here."
His goal is to be competitive from the first practice session and to qualify as well as possible for the sprint and the main race.
Das wäre ein Gamechanger.
The KTM RC16 would certainly allow for better placings. In recent race weekends, the bike has felt better than at the start of the season, and in Misano, the problems were more on his side, he believes.
That Would Change Everything
Binder believes: "If I can start really well on a weekend, find the pace, and have a good qualifying, that will change everything."
Being able to start the race further up the grid would make a decisive difference. "That would be a game-changer," emphasizes Binder.
Why? "When the front tire gets hot in traffic, the tire pressure shoots through the roof - then you have to brake earlier. You lose grip and essentially get into a vicious cycle," explains the South African.
Future Outside of MotoGP
Binder is keen to escape this vicious cycle in Spielberg and lay the groundwork for a strong end to the season.
His future, however, lies outside of MotoGP: The two-time race winner will switch to the Superbike World Championship in 2027 and share a garage at BMW with his former teammate Miguel Oliveira.
"I'm going to miss my crew," Binder says, looking forward to his new adventure with anticipation. "I'm very excited. Everything will be new – a new bike, new tracks, and new tires."
