Overall, the Grand Prix of Aragon was another beneficial episode for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech3 teams as the squads build their competitiveness to suit different circuits and different conditions. The race lasted for 23-laps, took place in hot summer temperatures and in front of 50,062 spectators around the 5km greasy track.
Brad Binder made a better getaway from P6 for the Grand Prix than in the Sprint Race and was in the mix at the front. The long distance was an exercise in grip management and tire preservation. Brad hovered in the top five and with a close view of a podium finish until he unfortunately crashed on lap 12.
Brad Binder DNF and 14th in the championship standings:
“Today started well: no spin, I felt normal and everything was going to plan. But then I lost the front into Turn 3. I thought ‘what the hell happened?’ I later saw the data and I had less speed, less brake and less pressure on the tire. It’s tricky because every time I gain some confidence with the front end it tends to give up on me! I need to take the positives from the weekend and I was able to take what I needed from the bike: every time I needed a quick lap I was able to be in the mix. If we can hold the performance from this weekend going forwards then things can only get better.”
• Exceptional start to race weekend • Straight into Q2 • Points scored
Riding sensation Ruche Moodley had an exceptional outing at the most recent round of the Moto3 World Championship. The sole SA rider in the field is making his return from a fractured arm and a missed round in France.
The Gqeberha-born rider had a tough weekend last time out at Silverstone. Moodley had more time to recover from a painful outing in England a few weeks ago. But he was optimistic heading into round eight at Ciudad del Motor de Aragon in Spain.
“I knew that Silverstone was going to be tough. But with a bit more time to build more strength in my injured arm, I had a good feeling going into the Aragon race,” said the teenager.
And so, it proved. Moodley started the weekend strong. He was in 10th place at the end of the opening practice session on Friday morning. He maintained this strong showing and claimed 14th place in the second session.
MotoGP applies an interesting system for qualifying. The top ten times recorded in the second practice session give riders a free pass directly into Qualifying 2 (Q2). In Q2 they compete for pole position. The rest of the field has to fight in Q1 for their grid positions. A similar concept has been applied to Moto3 where the top 14 riders immediately pass into Q2. Moodley’s lap time was quick enough to progress straight into Q2. “It was great to keep up the early pace from the start of the weekend. I had a good feeling with the bike and delivered a lap that was quick enough to get into Q2. I knew from there it was game on.”
Qualifying in Aragon relies heavily on slipstreaming. There is a near one-kilometre-long straight towards the end of the lap where a good draft can be worth about half a second per lap. Moodley preferred to run alone during qualifying where another rider’s mistake can ruin a good lap time. This may have cost a little time, but a clean lap meant he would start 14th on the grid.
The Moto3 race start was, as always, a close-fought affair. Aragon Motorland is an exceptional motorcycle circuit that provides plenty of overtaking opportunities. Moodley fought from the beginning.
“I knew it’s a long race here and that tyre strategy would come into play. Our strategy since the start of my rookie season has been to complete every race as we learn all the tracks of the calendar.”
Moodley slowly picked off his rivals to edge up to 14th by half race distance. His pace hotted up as the race progressed and his confidence built. His quickest lap time was quicker than his qualifying lap, and just a few tenths off the race leaders.
“There was a massive ten-bike group battling for the lead. I was just off that pack, in a middle ground. They were all dragging each other along down the long straight, I could see them but I was just too far back to get a slipstream. It was a bit frustrating, but they were also not getting away from me.”
Moodley crossed the finish line in 14th, claiming yet more points in his first-ever campaign at this level.
“All in all, I am really pleased at how this weekend progressed. It was a good showing now that my arm is getting stronger. We can only go upwards from here,” said the comeback kid.
Published by: Double Apex on behalf of Ruche Moodley.
MotorLand Aragon hosted MotoGP’s second visit to the Iberian Peninsula this season and brought the series to the sweeping circuit close to the town of Alcañiz. The facility first entertained a Grand Prix in 2010 but the latest round of the current campaign represented the sixteenth time MotoGP has been staged at the 5km, 17-corner layout.
Hot, sunny weather graced Friday and Saturday in Aragon. Three KTM RC16s made the cut directly to Q2 for the first time this season after Practice on Friday. Viñales (P3), Acosta (P5) and Brad Binder (P7) all were able to forget about the stress of Q1. Brad’s 6th place was also a personal best this term but meant he was on the grimier side of the grid and opposite to the racing line.
The Sprint on Saturday afternoon meant 11 full-gas laps. Brad missed grip for the getaway and spent the race fighting back to reach 9th.
MotoGP will lap the MotorLand curves 23 times on Sunday with the eighth Grand Prix of the season getting underway at 14.00 CET.
Brad Binder 6th in qualification, 9th in the Sprint:
“Finally a good qualifying but it meant lining up on the dirty side of the track for the grid. We tried everything to try and avoid spin…but it did anyway! I did a long rolling burnout and went all the way back to 16th or 17th. It made the race really tricky. Being in traffic effected the front tire pressure and I had a lock-up at Turn 12 and went off. A tough race today. I expected a lot more. The feeling with the bike is not too bad and I think we can have a decent race. If we can launch and get away then it will be a completely different story. I want to be as close to the top five-six as possible.”
“It’s been quite a difficult day: I’m struggling to get comfortable on the bike and we’re missing some speed at the moment. We’ve got some work to do for tomorrow and get the race under the belt: we’ll do our best!”
National Motocross Championship – Round 4 | Thunder Valley | PMB
Pietermaritzburg played host to an unforgettable weekend of racing as the Red Bull KTM motocross team delivered a standout performance at their home round of the 2025 National Motocross Championship. With a sea of orange lining the Thunder Valley track, the team treated fans to an action-packed day of podium finishes and championship-defining moments.
Trey Cox was unstoppable in the 125 High School class, storming to both moto wins and extending his lead in the championship standings. Not settling for just one class, Cox backed up his flawless High School performance with a strong showing in MX2, finishing 3rd overall with 4-2 moto scores. Reflecting on his home race, Cox said, “I did everything to win at home, and there’s no better feeling than that. I’m so happy to have a perfect day in the 125 class and another solid podium in MX2.”
The MX2 class delivered one of the most memorable moments of the season so far, as Red Bull KTM locked out the podium with an emphatic 1-2-3 overall sweep. Luke Grundy took top honours with 2-1 finishes, bouncing back brilliantly in the second moto to secure the overall and strengthen his championship lead.
“2-1 moto scores for 1st overall in MX2. It was a bit of a tough day, but I’m stoked on the outcome and can’t wait to see what Cape Town has in store,” commented Grundy.
Cameron Durow, the reigning MX2 champion, started the day with a solid victory in the first moto, edging out Grundy to claw back valuable points. A crash in the opening lap of moto two saw Durow drop to 19th, but the Red Bull KTM rider put on a spectacular charge through the field to finish 5th, enough for 2nd overall on the day.
In the premier MX1 class, it was business as usual for Durow. Trailing by 10 points heading into round four, Durow knew what needed to be done — and he delivered in style. A commanding 1-1 performance saw him not only claim the overall win but also reclaim the MX1 championship lead. Sharing his thoughts after a pivotal day, Durow said, “What a weekend! Racing at home, in front of our supporters, and being able to go 1-1 in MX1 and get the points lead back, it doesn’t get much better than that. I had a tough second moto in MX2 but I’m proud of the way I fought back. Big thanks to the entire Red Bull KTM team for an epic day.”
The team now turns their focus to the next round in Cape Town, carrying serious momentum and a solid championship position across the board.
