Early signs are that in the years to come, South African Brad Binder could be a real-world championship title contender in motorcycle sport.



South African phenomenon Brad Binder has been excelling in his first season in MotoGP, stunning the sport with victory in the Czech Republic in just his third-ever race in the class as talk of a new global superstar reverberates around the sport. 



MotoGP is the motorbike equivalent of Formula 1 and Binder is the first South African to compete in the class since Jon Ekerold in 1983, and the first-ever to claim victory in a race to firmly announce his arrival as a new hero on the bike.



Binder, 25, is racing for the Austrian Red Bull KTM team and early signs are that in the years to come, he could be a real-world championship title contender, with skill, speed, and zero fear on the track. His victory in the Czech Republic came after a steep learning curve in a truncated 2020 season that only started in July and will see 15 race weekends, with a number of others canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.



“The first race I made a mistake and went off track, and managed to fight myself back up to 13th position, which was really disappointing because I had the same pace as the guys in the top three,” Binder tells FORBES AFRICA.



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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“They put an absolutely insane motorbike underneath me.”</blockquote>
</div></div>



 “It could have been a good day for me, but unfortunately with the mistake, it was tough. The second race weekend in Jerez [Spain], I thought we made some positive steps forward. The qualifying pace was better and I was feeling better in general. “Unfortunately in turn one I had a good run off the line, but when I turned I didn’t see the Ducati on my inside and ended up taking out [teammate] Miguel Oliveira, so that was not good. 



“And then after that I ran off on the gravel as I was trying to fight my way back. I got past four guys, but I lost it in the front.”



Binder has taken those lessons on board though and that shows his race intelligence, culminating in his maiden race win at the Brno Circuit.



“It is a day I have dreamed of since I was a little boy and now it has come true,” Binder said of his maiden win. I can’t thank my team enough, they put an absolutely insane motorbike underneath me. I had no idea we had a chance of winning, but I thought it would be good. I hope this is the start of many more.”



Binder started racing globally in the 125cc category as a 15-year-old in 2011, and had spent the last three seasons in Moto2, winning five of the 19 races last year before earning his spot in MotoGP.&nbsp;



He finished second in the riders’ championship in Moto2 last year, having won the Moto3 championship in 2016.&nbsp;



“It is an honor to be the first South African in a while to be in the MotoGP class,” he said. “It has always been a dream to get here and now that I am, I want to get as close to the front as possible and I want to be winning races.&nbsp;



“The goal was always to get to MotoGP, but the end goal now is always to win. That is my plan, and that is what I am striving for and working for every single day.



“I am looking forward to this whole situation I am in right now, where I have to chip my way through the order and it’s going to be a great challenge.”



Binder has received rave reviews from opponents, who have picked up his fearlessness for the fight and ability to push his bike to the limit.&nbsp;



Frenchman Fabio Quartararo and legendary former Spanish rider Jorge Lorenzo are two that have spoken highly of Binder.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“Lorenzo has always been someone I have really enjoyed watching ride and to hear him say good things about me is really great, so let’s hope we can have some positive results and keep things on a roll.”</blockquote>



What is clear is that the South African has a bright future in this class, and is with a team that values his ability. He is also on a bike that has the potential to win him many more MotoGPs.



“It has gone much better than I could have expected, the bike is feeling fantastic, I am feeling super comfortable on the bike and the team is working well,” he said.&nbsp;



“Our bike has made an incredible step forward, it is fantastic to see how this whole package has come together just in time.&nbsp;



“I feel that since I joined KTM, this new bike they have brought has been a whole lot more competitive and we have seen it [in results].



“It is all really positive and just to be able to fight among these top guys is an incredible feeling, especially as a rookie. I need to keep the same work ethic and hopefully, in time we can turn it into solid results.”



-By Nick Said

Brad Binder

Motorsport: The New Fearless Hero On The Bike

Brand Pretorius attracts awards, nominations and accolades, similar to Kelly Slater collecting world surfing titles and Valentino Rossi world MotoGP championships.
The latest in a long list of awards was an honorary doctor’s degree in marketing, bestowed on him by the Durban University of Technology in April.
This former sales manager of Toyota South Africa, executive chairman of McCarthy Motor Holdings and executive director of the Bidvest Group, became the first member of the South African automotive industry to be inducted into their hall of fame in 2006.
He was also recognized as the most trusted leader in the country’s motor industry in the annual Trust Barometer opinion survey in 2009.
Pretorius’ love affair with cars started when his father brought a new Chevrolet 1956 home when he was a toddler. When his mother got her first car—a 1959 Renault Dauphine—that love affair became an obsession.
Pretorius is well qualified to speak on South Africa’s position as the undisputed ‘wheels’ leader of Africa.
“There are 1.7 million new vehicles sold on the continent per year, and South Africa accounts for 650,000 annually. There is a correlation between the gross domestic product per capita and the vehicle market.
“Obviously, from that point of view, South Africa is standing tall in Africa,” claims Pretorius.
“We have a vibrant manufacturing industry that makes us unique. Only two other African countries, Egypt and Morocco, manufacture a meaningful quantity of vehicles.
“Importing used vehicles is not allowed in South Africa, whereas in other countries it is.
“Used vehicles from Japan and Singapore are flooding the markets and are undermining the viability of manufacturing because the ratio between used and new vehicles could be as high as seven to one,” says Pretorius.
The automotive industry is one of South Africa’s most important sectors, contributing more than 6% to gross domestic product and accounting for more than 12% of manufacturing exports.
Pretorius says this favorable status quo is because the country weathered the global recession well.
The increase in disposable income as well as the explosive growth in black purchasing power has benefited the automotive industry.
The launch of the Motor Industry Development Program (MIDP) led to the dramatic acceleration of exports from an insignificant amount in 1995. More than 350,000 vehicles are expected to be exported in 2013.
“Another positive factor is that major global vehicle manufacturers have made the South African subsidiaries an integral part of their global supply chain,” he added.
Pretorius is widely hailed for his exemplary business leadership.
Probed about his style, he tells FORBES AFRICA: “The major benefit of servant leadership is that through serving, one engages people’s hearts and if you engage their hearts, you get a higher level of engagement, trust and willingness to work together.
“When Nelson Mandela was inaugurated in 1994, he said that he was not here to lead, but to serve.
“South Africans responded to that. They volunteered their goodwill, they joined hands and we saw a high level of commitment to a better future.
Pretorius said he is proud of the constructive and responsible way in which local business leadership is approaching its role of building a better future for all.
“In my opinion, we are setting an excellent example for the rest of the world. However, there is still so much more we can do.”

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Motorsport: The New Fearless Hero On The Bike

The Mandela Brand