JEREZ, Spain – The Circuit de Jerez-Angel Nieto delivered an unforgettable flag-to-flag Sprint on Saturday, and South Africa’s Brad Binder was right at the centre of the drama. Surviving a torrential downpour, a treacherous track, and a late crash, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing star showcased his trademark resilience to salvage a fighting fourth-place finish.
Following a challenging weekend at the Circuit of the Americas earlier this month, Binder arrived in Spain looking for a rebound. However, the initial hurdle presented itself early. Unable to secure a direct spot in Q2, Binder was forced to settle for 13th on the grid after setting a 1:49.278 in Saturday morning’s Q1 session. Once again, the South African was faced with a mountain to climb.
When the lights went out for the 12-lap Sprint, the track was dry, and Binder’s aggressive race craft was immediately on display. Slicing his way up to eighth place, he found himself in a fierce battle among his KTM stablemates. But the real test arrived when the skies opened up, completely shifting the dynamic of the race.
As the downpour worsened, riders were forced to swap bikes. Binder played his hand beautifully, timing his pit entry for wet-weather machinery to absolute perfection. As riders ahead of him—including his teammate Pedro Acosta—tumbled in the treacherous conditions, Binder suddenly found himself in a prime position to challenge for the victory.
Then, heartbreak struck. While navigating a heavy braking zone, Binder lost the front end and slid into the gravel with only two laps remaining.
Where many would have called it a day, Binder’s renowned grit took over. He immediately picked up his #33 machine, re-entered the track, and mounted a ferocious final-lap attack, diving past VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio to cross the line in fourth.
“Happy and heartbroken at the same time,” a gutted but realistic Binder stated after the race. “I felt like I timed my pit entry well, but from one lap to the next there was so much water. When I braked in the same place, I was like: ‘Oh s**t.’ Lost the front, slid off, picked it up, and carried on. To bail and still finish 4th is pretty good, so happy about that. A bit unfortunate because I would have loved to win again. Another day.”
The heroic recovery earned Binder six vital championship points, bringing his 2026 season tally to 23.
As the paddock looks ahead to Sunday’s main event, the mission remains the same. Binder will once again launch from 13th on the grid. If the track conditions stabilize, he will need to channel that familiar “Sunday Man” DNA to carve through the European pack and fight for the podium positions he so narrowly missed in the Sprint.
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