Brad Binder endured a frantic and exciting flag-to-flag Spanish Grand Prix Sprint at a soaking Circuit de Jerez today. The South African brought his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing RC16 home in 4th place for round four of the season.

MotoGP gathered at the busy Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for the 40th year in a row and for the first European date on the 2026 schedule. Friday practice took place in overcast, breezy and warm weather but conditions deteriorated for Saturday’s morning qualification.

Bard tried to force his way into Q2 on Friday and worked to refine his set-up for the faster corners of the Jerez layout. He ended the Q1 session with 13th on the grid. Binder attacked hard in the Sprint and sliced through to P8, fighting with his fellow KTM riders. He then persisted as long as possible in the rain before making his bike change at a timely moment that allowed him to be in the running for the podium. Brad was also a victim of the worsening weather. He briefly hit the ground but recovered to guide the #33 machine to P4 for his highest classification of the year to-date.

The 25-lap Grand Prix begins at 14.00 CET time on Sunday with a dry forecast.

Brad Binder
13th in qualification, 4th in the Sprint:
“Happy and heartbroken at the same time. 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 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 have won again. Another day.”

Published by: https://bradbinder33.com/

What South African National Motocross Round 2 Report
Where Thunder Valley, Pietermaritzburg KZN
When Saturday 28 March 2026
Community South Africa National

A triple podium for Team Tork Craft in ‘Maritzburg

Team Tork Craft enjoyed another strong day at the races when the South African National Motocross Championship visited a muddy Thunder Valley in Pietermaritzburg, KZN over the weekend. Mackenzie Bam once again took Ladies Motorcross honours, while Slade Smith was second in MX1 double and Rayden Woolls third in the 85cc action.

Mackenzie Bam enjoyed a brilliant day with her second overall Ladies Motorcross victory on the trot. Steady as ever, Bam rode home to two fine second places in the heats to secure the overall win aboard her Tork Craft Junior Team Husqvarna. Tork Craft Pepson Plastics Yamaha lass Katelyn Pretorius was fourth and seventh en route to claim sixth for the day.

Slade Smith continued to impress in senior motocross, taking two second places en route to claim the silver medal on his 450cc open class MX1 Sigmafix Tork Craft Yamaha. Also in the open classes, Ger-Drie de Beer ended sixteenth in 250cc MX2 on his Tork Craft KTM.

It was also a great day for Team Tork Craft in junior motocross. Rayden Woolls rode his Tork Craft Junior Team Husqvarna to fifth in his opening heat before taking second in race 2 as he ended up a podium third in the 85cc action. Right behind him, Adam Meyer came home fourth for the day on his RTR Tork Craft KTM.

Little Damien Kritzinger’s RTR Tork Craft Husqvarna enjoyed a steady day to tenth in the baby 50cc class, while Keegan Miles also riding a RTR Tork Craft KTM, raced home 12th in 125cc High School. Kabelo Ledwaba was 14th aboard his Tork Craft Husqvarna and Tyler Petersen’s Yamaha 16th in the 125s after each endured challenging days at the races.

“Team Tork Craft continued to impress in the 2026 National Motocross championship in the weekend’s second round at Thunder Valley” team patron Ryan Hunt confirmed. “We salute Mackenzie on another overall victory, to Slade and Rayden on their podium finishes, and the rest of the team on another excellent outing in KZN.”

Issued on behalf of Team Tork Craft

A short and tight layout at the Ayrton Senna International Circuit in Goiânia provided a fresh challenge for MotoGP as the teams worked towards optimum race set-up with Michelin hard carcass tires. A reduced 23-lap distance awaited the grid in the afternoon as 60,800 people gathered for the first Grand Prix in the country in 22 years.

Brad Binder began the GP from 21st and needed to make one of his customary hard charges in the early laps to gain ground and positions. The South African reached the limit of the points but then fell on lap four.

Brad Binder
DNF and 9th in the championship

“Just a really short race. I started fast and passed a few guys at the beginning but then went into Turn 1, locked the front wheel and that was about it. I would definitely have enjoyed a few more laps. Onto America from here and we will see how we line-up.”

Published by: https://bradbinder33.com/

MotoGP landed in Brazil for the first time in more than two decades for round two of the 2026 world championship and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing earned a best finish of P9 in the Sprint at the revamped Ayrton Senna International Circuit in Goiânia.

MotoGP received a wet welcome in Brazil as torrential downpours complicated the schedule at the renovated Ayrton Senna International Circuit in the build-up to the fixture and then during Thursday and Friday. Practice sessions finally got underway but complicated the time needed by riders and teams to discover the 3.8km course, as well as set their bikes up accordingly for the 15-lap Sprint on Saturday and 31-lap distance on Sunday.

Brad Binder qualified 21st. The South African made a decent getaway from his grid slot and battled inside the top 13. He eventually crossed the line with 15th.

Brad Binder
21st in qualification, 15th in the Sprint

“Just missing a bit of pace. Not much more to say. In the race I got a great start and was up to 12th place but then I could not do anything from there. Anyway, there is definitely big room to improve on our base for tomorrow. All things considered I think we can do a good job, at least better than today.”

Published by: https://bradbinder33.com/

What South African Cross Country Moto Round 1 Report
Where Radium, Gauteng
When Saturday 14 March 2026
Community South Africa National

South African Cross Country Motorcycle season starts in style

The South African Cross Country Motorcycle racing season kicked off with an excellent opening round at Radium in Gauteng on Saturday. While overall winner Scott Heygate dominated on his KTM, it was Team Tork Craft that walked away with the lion’s share of the honours with no less than five class wins and fourteen podiums across the classes.

Heygate was indomitable on his Bikers Warehouse KTM as he rode home over eight minutes clear of Sigmafix Tork Craft Yamaha lad Maddy Malan. 250cc OR3 winner Cobus Bester was third overall on his Roost KTM from OR1 men Matthew Wilson’s Roost and John Botha’s Fast KTMs.

OR3 trio, Tyron Beverley’s Sigmafix Tork Craft Yamaha, Erik Merry’s Bikers Warehouse Husqvarna, and Slade Smith on another Sigmafix Tork Craft Yamaha followed. Peter Karam’s OR1 Motos Yamaha and Sigmafix Tork Craft Yamaha High School winner Murray Smith closed off the overall top ten. Also riding a 250, ?Sharisma Kriel took the Ladies win.

Sigmafix Tork Craft Yamaha lad Ruald Potgieter took the Junior race from 85cc Senior rivals, Rayden Woolls’ Tork Craft Husqvarna, and Lourens Erasmus’ Tork Craft Pepson Plastics KTM. Hein Harvey took 85cc Junior honours on his Team Zonke Husqvarna and Ulrich Sterley won the baby 65cc class on his Sigmafix Tork Craft Yamaha.

In the classes, Scott Heygate took open class OR1 from Maddy Malan and Matthew Wilson, while Tim Black won 300cc OR2 on his Alfie Cox KTM. Cobus Bester took 250cc OR2 from Tyron Beverley and Erik Merry and Murray Smith led a Yamaha High School 125cc 1-2-3 from Franco Fourie’s Moto’s and Liam Scheepers’ Gravel Pot machines. Wayne Farmer took Masters honours on his Bikers Warehouse Husqvarna ahead of Mielies Le Roux’s KTM and Warrick van Schalkwyk’s Sigmafix Tork Craft Yamaha, while his teammates, Shimwells man Marco Cocci and Gerhard Vorster led the way in Seniors.

Other team Tork Craft RTR riders included? Rayden Woolls second and ??Lourens Erasmus third in 85cc; ?Liam Sterley, who rode to fifth in 65cc, Cooper Jordaan sixth in Mini Cross and Deruk van Aswegan fourth in OR2.? ?Leading retirements included OR1 frontrunners Brad Cox’s Sherco and Ruan Merry’s Husqvarna and Drikus van der Merwe’s OR3 Yamaha. The second round of the South African National Cross Country Motorcycle championship goes down in Bloemfontein on Saturday 16 May.

Your South African National Cross Country Motorcycle action is brought to you by proud series sponsor Team Tork Craft.

Issued on behalf of Team Tork Craft

Photography by: Action in Motion