VOL. 54 ISSUE 1 JANUARY 10, 2017 P79
B
rad Binder, the first South African World
Champion since Jon Ekerold in 1980,
dominated the closest class in GP rac-
ing—Moto3—almost all season long. On the
podium for the first three rounds, his win at round
four at Jerez—from a penalized back-of-the-grid
start—became his signature. He won six more
races, securing the crown at Aragon with four
races to spare.
He made it look easy. But, of course, it wasn't.
"I think the good thing is we managed to limit
the bad days and we took advantage on the good
days," he says. "Obviously I've been really lucky,
with regard to [the fact that] I haven't been taken
out. I haven't had any big issues."
With massive close groups and record close
finishes, it's surprising there are so few multiple
crashes in Moto3. Until the late rounds, in Austra-
A proud South African, Binder had to leave his homeland
early to pursue his world championship dream.
