Binder
Photo Credit: Craig Kolesky / Redbull Content Pool

Brad Binder has just become the first rider since 1992 to set a Superlap record at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, which is an hour from his hometown.

 

South Africa (18 August 2022) – South African MotoGP star and Red Bull athlete Brad Binder made a return to his home country for a “Superlap” in July 2022. We have eagerly awaited to find out if he was able to set a new record at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, and today, the news is out… He has done it!

The Superlap record would be an attempt at setting the benchmark aboard a modern-era MotoGP bike around the new Kyalami layout.

Brad Binder is a two-time MotoGP™ race winner and the first South African to ever win in the premier class. Now he has also become the first rider in 30 years to set a benchmark lap time around Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, a track that lies north of Johannesburg and just an hour from Binder’s hometown of Krugersdorp.

Over the past decade, Binder has been rising through the world motorcycle grand Prix racing ranks, winning the 2016 Moto3 World Championship and finishing runner-up in the 2019 Moto2 world title race. Since 2020 he has been a spearhead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in MotoGP, taking a maiden win at the 2020 Czech Grand Prix and a second victory in trying conditions at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix.

In the lead-up to this year’s edition of the Austrian event, Binder had the chance to return to South Africa to set a ‘Superlap’ on the current 4.529km layout of the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. Using a 2019 KTM RC16, the 27-year-old had the chance to lap his home circuit at speed, an experience he described as “incredible”.

“Today was incredible, it was so much fun to go out and get the chance to ride the MotoGP bike around such an amazing track. A track that I grew up riding on,” Binder said.

“Just to go through Turn 1 at this track is quite special because it’s quite unique, there’s nothing else like it out there and it feels cool to be sixth gear flat out and lean over on a MotoGP bike. It’s special to know that we will hold the record for a while I would imagine.”

In addition to lapping Kyalami in a new fastest time, Binder was afforded the opportunity to ride the race-spec bike on South African roads as part of a light-hearted action edit that followed his preparation for the lap.

“It’s been super fun, it’s something I never thought I would do in my life, riding a MotoGP bike around in some iconic spots all over Johannesburg,” Binder added.

The last rider to set a record lap around Kyalami on a premier class bike was Australia’s Wayne Gardner at the 1992 South African Motorcycle Grand Prix. On a different track layout to that raced by Gardner, Binder set the standard for a modern-era MotoGP bike at 1m 42.260s.

This weekend Binder and his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team return to the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The South African is the defending winner after sealing an astounding victory in 2021 when he remained on dry tyres in wet conditions to cross the line ahead of his rivals who had pitted for wet tyres.

You can watch Brad’s Superlap on redbull.com and Red bull Motorsports social channels. Or, download the free Red Bull TV app and catch the MotoGP™ action on all your devices! Get the app here.


Sources: RedBull Content Pool
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Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

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