- South African takes World MotoGP title
- First bike World title for SA in 36 years
- ‘We lost the battle, but won the war!’
MADRID, Spain – South African motorcycle racer Brad Binder has taken the World MotoGP Moto3 champion title at the Aragon track in Spain.
That, the record books show, makes him the first South African bike racer to win a World title since Jon Ekerold in the former 350cc category way back in 1980.
He finished second in the September 25 race, beaten by Jorge Navarro, but that was enough to give him title, despite there being four more races in the 2016 season.
STARTED SEVENTH, FINISHED SECOND
“Right now it doesn’t feel real yet,” Binder was reported as saying after the race. “It came down to the final lap – we lost the battle but won the war.”
Binder qualified only seventh for the starat but sliced through the competition to become involved in the struggle for the lead with Navarro and Italian Enea Bastianini. The finish was so close that both raised an arm in triump as they crossed the finish line.
READ MORE about our new motorcycle champion
Aragon was Binder’s fifth MotoGP race win of 2016. The second place took his points tally to 106 and, the MotoGP site reported, there are only 100 left to race for.
Carman's Corner 