All MotoGP riders have a touch of madness about them. This, after all, isn’t a sport for anyone with a fearful bone in their body. But even among the testosterone-fuelled, Kevlar-clad gladiators on 280 horsepower, two-wheel steeds in MotoGP, Binder is an alpha warrior.

On Sunday, the 26-year-old South African showed what rival team boss Davide Tardozzi of Ducati described as “two big balls” to win a wild race that ended in heavy rain.

Binder, on his Red Bull KTM, claimed his second career MotoGP win at the team’s home race. Astonishingly he completed the race on slick tyres in treacherous conditions, as rain lashed the Red Bull Ring circuit on the slopes of the Styrian Alps over the last three laps.

Brad heeded some advice from younger brother Darryn, who rides in the lower-class Moto3 division when the rain began to fall.

“I remember my brother (Darryn) telling me that he was impressed with how much grip there was in the wet with slicks, so I think that had something to do with it,” a smiling Binder said after the race.

“But you know what, I would happily have crashed giving it a go. At the end of the day I’m really happy to be here right now.”

Stayed out

Most of his rivals dived into the pits with about six laps to go to change bikes when the rain started, but Binder decided to stay out on his dry-weather slick tyres. It was a gamble as he went from sixth to first as five riders in front of him plunged into the paddock.

At the end of lap 23, with five laps remaining, Marc Márquez, championship leader Fabio Quartararo, Francesco Bagnaia, world champion Joan Mir and rookie sensation Jorge Martín swung off, giving Binder clear track as the rain intensified.

The South African, who had started 10th on the grid, suddenly found himself leading with five laps to go. He made the most of the decent conditions for one more lap to extend his lead to close to a minute, but when the rain started falling heavily with three laps to go, Binder had to use all his skill and nerve to stay upright.

He stayed out on slick tyres even though his grip was gone and his lap times were plummeting as a consequence.

“When I saw the guys pull up into the pit, I decided to take the gamble and try to push it out to the end,” Binder said. “It was incredibly sketchy to try and get the bike home as the carbon brakes lost temperature. It feels like you don’t have brakes anymore. I lost my brakes with two laps to go because they went cold which meant there was no grip at all. It was like riding on ice.”

Binder admitted that before the rain fell, he was having a difficult race where he struggled with his tyres in the dry conditions. It looked like it was going to be another Grand Prix without a podium for Binder, who had yet to place in the top three in 2021.

“I am so incredibly happy to have walked away with the win today because the beginning of the race was super hard for us,” Binder said after adding a second win in the sport’s premier class after victory in Brno in 2020.

Brad Binder rejoices after winning the MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. (Photo: GEPA pictures/ Daniel Goetzhaber/Red Bull Content Pool)

“I unfortunately got the worst tyre since I have been here, so I was struggling a lot in all the braking and the throttle, but when I saw the rain starting, I took my opportunity and I fought as hard as I could and closed in front of the front group.

“I went to bed last night thinking all I want today is a podium. It’s been so long! It’s been the longest (stretch of time) in I don’t know how many years since I was on the podium. 

“I’ve been close a few times, had a few fourth places, but haven’t been back. To be honest, I was having a horrendous race before I decided to stay out and everyone else came in.

“The rear tyre was like nothing I’ve had all weekend. Every time I tried braking it would just slide everywhere. I’d open the throttle and just wouldn’t go forward. 

“I was having a huge struggle out there, but when I saw it starting to rain, I closed up onto the front group and was thinking there’s just four laps to go. I could see the guys getting ready to go in, because I saw Marc (Márquez) look behind him and I couldn’t decide whether I should go or not. 

“I just decided at the last moment when I saw the group pull into the pits to just try. The first lap was good, but the last two were something else. I really struggled to stay on track. But anyway, sometimes you have to take the gamble and today it worked. I’m super happy about that.”

If there is any doubt about the skill and bravery of Binder’s ride in those conditions, consider that MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi also decided to stay out on slicks.

When all the riders pitted, Rossi moved into podium position. But as the water on the track accumulated, Rossi, like Binder, struggled and was eventually overhauled by the pack on wet-weather tyres to finish eighth.

“I decided not to stop because there were just five laps remaining and it was the right choice because I improved my position,” said Rossi, the Petronas Yamaha rider.

“At a certain point I was also on the podium so it was quite exciting! But the last two laps were difficult because we had more rain. Usually, you would never continue (on slicks) like this. But the rain started very slowly and if you enter the pits you lose one minute.

“At first only turn three and turn six were wet, but the rest was still dry. So, you could keep a good temperature in the brakes and in the tyres. But the last lap and a half was very difficult because the bike started to spin everywhere and it’s very easy to make a mistake, so you need to ride very smooth. But at the end, not to stop was the right decision.”

It certainly was the right decision for Binder, who has now moved up to sixth in the championship on 98 points, with Yamaha’s Frenchman Quartararo leading the standings on 181 points after 11 rounds. DM