Brad Binder’s pathway to becoming the 2016 Moto3 world champion took an alternative route with the South African beginning his motorsport career in karting, claiming a national championship at the age of eight. Fast-forward two years and the then 10-year-old opted to take on a new challenge of motorcycle racing, which he was later accepted into the elite Red Bull KTM Rookies Cup in 2009, a development program that has produced a large portion of new generation riders.

The rookies cup was an important element in placing Binder on the world stage, as his talent and effort became recognised over the next few seasons. Being raised in South Africa, a country where the motorcycle racing scene is much weaker than those in Europe, Binder acknowledged that his decision to move away from his homeland played a pivotal role in his career.

“For a South African, the best thing you can do is probably try to enter the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup,” he explained. “For me it was a decisive turning point to getting into the World Championship. In South Africa there aren’t the strong competitions that there are in Spain, for example, that allow you to grow as a rider. However, since I was 12 years old I’ve been competing against the same rivals and this is very good.”

After three seasons of developing and honing his skills in the Red Bull KTM Rookies Cup, Binder was drafted into the RW Racing team to replace the late Luis Salom in the 125cc world championship, who was sidlined with injury at the time. His professional approach impressed the team, and they rewarded him with a fulltime ride in the Moto3 category for 2012.

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In his rookie season, Binder earned 24 championship points, crediting him 21st position in the series standings. 2013 saw a switch of teams and manufacturers, as the South African signed with Ambrogio Racing to race aboard a Mahindra. Improving on his result from 2012, Binder completed the season in 13th, and would continue with the Ambrogio Racing team for 2014.

He maintained his progression in the following year, recording two podiums and attracting the attention of the majors teams as he concluded the year in 11th. When negotiations commenced for the 2015 season, it was the Red Bull KTM Ajo outfit that secured Binder’s signature, acquiring him to the prestigious team. With adequate machinery underneath him, Binder earned a further four podiums in 2015 to position himself sixth in the championship standings following Valencia’s grand finale.

Binder started the 2016 season with three consecutive podiums aboard his Red Bull KTM Ajo RC250, securing the championship lead at round two and would fail to relinquish it for the remainder of the season. His maiden victory would come under less than ideal circumstances at the Spanish grand prix in Jerez, after starting from the rear row due to a technical infringement, Binder negotiated his way through the field, latching onto the lead group with just a handful of laps remaining. He made several valuable passes in the closing stages to be the first rider to cross the line.

The win ignited a new wave of confidence in the South African, as he went onto to claim four more victories throughout the year. Despite a DNF at Brno, Binder entered last weekend’s grand prix at Aragon with a 106-point advantage, standing as a clear mathematical chance of wrapping up the the Moto3 title. Starting in P7, the 21-year-old laid it on the line and worked his way to front of the field, maintaining the pace of the leaders to claim third, which was enough to crown him as the 2016 Moto3 World Champion.

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“The truth is I don’t know what to say, everything is a bit strange and I can’t quite believe it yet,” he said filled with elation. “Everything has gone very fast. I found it hard to sleep last night. Yesterday we were able to celebrate in the village with all of the team members and my family, and that was very nice.”

“I am very grateful to my parents; they have made great sacrifices so that I could be here. We came to Europe when I was 12 so I could ride, and this the first time we feel that all this effort has really paid off,” he continued. “In addition, I have a great team behind me: Aki Ajo and each of the members of the Red Bull KTM Ajo team. I can’t thank them enough for what they have done. To be happy every day you spend in the paddock is great. I also thank KTM for giving me such an amazing bike.”

As the only rider to claim the Moto3 title four rounds prior to the season ending since the current scoring system was implemented in 1993, Binder has already signed to pilot Red Bull KTM Ajo’s all-new factory intermediate entry in the Moto2 category for 2017, marking the next step in his youthful career.

“I am just going to go out there and see how things go,” Binder said on his move to moto2. “You can see that when other riders have made the move from Moto3, it has been a tough step up. Honestly, I just want to work hard, take things lap by lap. Maybe it will not be the first or second year, but I am convinced that I will reach the top one day. I will continue in the same team, with a structure that fills me with confidence.”