MotoGP's best non-Ducati rider beats 2025 teammate but admits "we wanted more"

Brad Binder‘s brilliant drive in Barcelona saw him finish 2024 as MotoGP‘s best non-Ducati rider.

The factory KTM rider took fifth place in the championship, behind Ducati quartet Jorge Martin, Pecco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini.

Perhaps crucially, Binder defeated fellow KTM rider Pedro Acosta in the final Grand Prix in the battle for fifth place in the standings.

Acosta will switch from Tech3 to the factory team in 2025, but Binder has at least set an early milestone.

But he joked: “Honestly it was for a world title, it would be a different story!

“The fifth is cool. I wanted more.

“I finished sixth a few times, fourth once and now fifth. It seems like I’m floating in this area.

“It would be nice to continue from here…”

Although the standings prove that KTM is one of Ducati’s biggest competitors, they have had a disappointing year.

It was Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales who became the only non-Ducati rider to win a race on Sunday.

Binder reflected: “It’s safe to say it’s been an adventure. We all expected more from it.

“Myself and KTM all wanted more this season.

“Unfortunately it was more difficult than expected.

“We gave it everything, regardless of whether we finished 10th or came close to a podium.

“I am happy with the efforts made.

‘This is not our place where we will stay. We will continue from here.”

Binder stormed from 18th on the grid to eighth in the Solidarity Barcelona MotoGP. Acosta could only finish 10th.

“Overall I had a pretty good Sunday, to be honest,” Binder said.