KTM keeps the faith in struggling Binder as MotoGP moves to Assen

After a month-long break, MotoGP moves to the Netherlands for the Assen TT this weekend after a flurry of rider swaps for next season.

After the last round in Mugello, Italy, on June 2, the biggest announcement was six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez would move from Ducati’s satellite Gresini team to Ducati’s factory team next year. The 31-year-old Spaniard, who also won 125cc and Moto2 world championships, is third in the standings and has signed with Ducati on a two-year deal from 2025.

Marquez, who remains the sport's biggest star despite riding an uncompetitive Honda and suffering injuries for the past few years, will replace Italian Enea Bastianini, partnering with Ducati’s reigning double world champion Francesco Bagnaia.

World championship leader Jorge Martin, who had been in line for the Ducati factory seat, will switch from Pramac Racing to Aprilia from 2025. The Spaniard will replace Aleix Espargaro who announced last month he would retire at the end of this year.

Martin, who finished second in the world championship last year, has 171 points after seven races and is 18 points ahead of Bagnaia. At Yamaha, 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo announced he would stay with the Japanese team for another two years.

Earlier it was announced that 20-year old rookie sensation Pedro Acosta would move from Red Bull GasGas Tech3 to the Red Bull KTM factory team next year, replacing Jack Miller who is without a ride for next season. Enea Bastianini (Ducati) and Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) are moving to GasGas Tech 3 next year to replace Acosta and Augusto Fernandez.

Acosta will join South Africa’s Brad Binder on a multiyear deal at Red Bull KTM. In his debut premier class season, the Moto3 and Moto2 champion has scored two grand prix podiums and lies fifth in the title chase on 101 points.

The superstar rookie has overshadowed Binder as the top performing KTM rider and placed pressure on the South African who has slipped to seventh in the standings on 85 points. Binder was a title contender last season and finished fourth as the best-placed non-Ducati rider, but 2024 has not gone as well. Since finishing second in the Qatar season opener, Binder has failed to reach the podium and suffered crashes.

KTM has scotched suggestions Binder might be replaced, saying it is working on a few things that are not fitting together technically with the bike.

“We don’t abandon a rider in a situation like this. We know Binder is extremely fast and can win MotoGP races,” said Hubert Trunkenpolz, board member of Pierer Mobility Group, which owns KTM.

Speaking to GPone, Trunkenpolz said: “Brad has been unlucky this year; so many little things have gone wrong. A few things are not fitting together technically with Brad, so we have to help him a bit with the bike.

“We have gone in a direction with his bike that has helped him on the traction side, but no longer gives him the feeling at the limit he needs for top results.”

Binder finished fourth in last year’s Assen TT behind Bagnaia, Marco Bezzecchi and Aleix Espargaro. Saturday’s 13-lap MotoGP sprint race takes place at 3pm, with Sunday’s 26-lap race starting at 2pm.