South Africa’s Brad Binder was crowned the new Moto3 world title at the Aragon Grand Prix on Sunday… becoming the first South African to win a Grand Prix title in 36 years!
2016 has certainly been an incredible year for South African sportsman… just after celebrating the amazing achievements at the Olympics and Paralympics, we have another great sportsman to celebrate!
Binder has capped off an incredible season with a second place finish, this time at Aragon in Spain, to win his maiden Moto3 world title.
“Right now it doesn’t feel real yet,” said Binder.
“It came down to the final lap. Today we lost the battle but we won the war.”
Binder, on a KTM, qualified down in seventh, but quickly moved to the front of the race before becoming embroiled in a fight with Honda pair Navarro and Enea Bastianini for the win.
Italian Bastianini led until the final corner, but was swamped by Navarro and Binder with both celebrating as they crossed the line.
Binder, who has won five races this season, extended his championship lead to 106 points with just 100 left to race for.
The KTM Red Bull rider becomes the first South African rider to win a grand prix title since Jon Ekerold won the 350cc title in 1980.
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- He started out racing karts, and was national champion of South Africa aged just eight, before he took up two-wheeled racing at the grand old age of 10.
- He was inscripted to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2009, and rode in the World Championship’s feeder series for three seasons. His Rookies Cup displays earned him a ride in the 125cc World Champion for a few rounds in 2011.
- He’s ridden alongside his younger brother Darryn in the Moto3 class for the past two seasons.
- He will remain with the Ajo Motorsports team in 2017, when he steps up to Moto2.
- His victory at Jerez earlier this season made him the first South African to win a Grand Prix since 1981. He’s now South Africa’s first Motorcycle Grand Prix World Champion in 36 years.
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