Brad Binder's verdict on KTM's major investment announcement

Following the announcement of KTM’s new investment from Indian motorcycle firm Bajaj Auto, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Brad Binder says the news is “super-important”.

News on Thursday confirmed Bajaj’s plans to take over KTM after the Austrian manufacturer’s financial struggles that emerged during 2024.

Binder admitted that the motorsports division of KTM has been “basically untouched” by the Austrian company’s financial issues, but nonetheless felt that the investment was “super-important” for the company.

“For us, at motorsports, we were basically untouched by it all, to be honest,” he said on Thursday ahead of the British Grand Prix.

“But of course it’s super-important and it’s fantastic for everybody to hear that KTM’s going to continue as is.

“It’s been a very stressful time for everyone back at the factory and the office and all of that. The only thing I can do is try to deliver results. Grateful that everything carries on as is.”

“I expect Silverstone to be a good track for us”

Focusing on this weekend's MotoGP Grand Prix of the UK in particular, Binder said he felt the Silverstone circuit should be one that suits the KTM.

“One thing that works really good is this track is it’s super-clean and flat, there’s not many bumps and stuff,” he said.

“That always helps, so hopefully it hasn’t got too much rougher over the year.

“Honestly, I expect it to be a pretty good track for us – it was decent last year, it was decent the year before. We could definitely be okay here.”

Binder also mentioned that he felt good at Le Mans two weeks ago having made progress at the Jerez test, but simply hadn’t been able to put things together.

“I feel like, already at the Jerez test, we made a good step,” he said.

“I felt good in Le Mans but I put nothing together at all: crashing in both races, and then crashing to not get through into Q2 also.

“Really didn’t do a good job there at all. Really want to clean things up this weekend and see if we can make it a good weekend.”

In comparison to previous years at Silverstone, this year’s edition of the MotoGP race at the Northamptonshire track is set to be quite cold.

“I saw a low of 5C tomorrow morning, so it’s going to be proper nippy, but then we are riding later in the day, so hopefully it does get pretty warm,” Binder said.

“I believe, speaking to some Brits, that it’s been summer here for the last two weeks, [but] apparently it’s dipping for the weekend.

“Hopefully this little summer extends a bit, but the weather is definitely looking a bit sketchy.”