Brad Binder gives initial verdict on 2025 KTM MotoGP prototype

“It’s quite different to what we have”

Brad Binder, KTM Racing, Misano MotoGP test 2024
Brad Binder, KTM Racing, Misano MotoGP test 2024
© Gold and Goose

Brad Binde🐻r says the 2025 KTM MotoGP prototype bike he tested at Misano last Monday was “quite different” to the brand’s current pa🥂ckage.

The South African, who will remain with KTM to the end of 2026, got his first taste of the 2025 lab bike that Pol Espargaro raced as wildcard at the Austrian🐬 and San Marino Grands Prix.

While the prototype RC16 grabbed headlines for its radical rear aerodynamics, the bike also appears to be running a revised engine with a different f🐷iring order from the current model.

Binder and future team-mate Pedro Acosta sampled the bike at the post-San Marino GP test, wi🉐th the former offering his verdict on 💞it ahead of this weekend’s Emilia Romagna GP.

“Well, fo♕r sure it was quite different to what we have currently been using,” ꧒he said of the 2025 RC16.

“For sure there are a lot of small details that we s🍨till need to fಞine tune.

“But the initia✨l impr♏ession was positive, was pretty cool.

“And yeah, I think KTM as a whole did a great job at the test, w🐻here every single rider was testing something different.

“So, we have a real wealth of new knowledge in things that we tried t🌸hat we can really all put together and hopefully push our package on as fast as possible.”

Binder put in a strong showing at the San Marino GP, finishing fourth in the grand prix having♔ qualified iꦓn sixth.

The Monday test after the race a😼llowed KTM to focus on ideas to take a step forward for the Emilia Romagna GP also being staged at Misano, and Binder feels he will be “starting in a much ♍better place than last time”.

“Definitely plan on it,” he replied when asked if 🔯he could be closer to the Ducatis thi🌞s weekend.

“Of course we have every weekend. But it’s been a bit of a strange Thur♎sday when you’ve been here a couple of weeks beforeไ.

“In general it’s been cool. We had time to do everything from the test, everything from the entire race weekend, trying to take all the best li൩ttle bits wherever we can.

“So🌞, for sur🐭e we’re going to be starting the weekend in a much better place than the last time we were here.

“So, I’m exci🍌ted to see how we manage and hopefully we can fight a little bit closer to the sharp💝 end.” 

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