Petersen: Binder’s step up to MotoGP a good move

South African racer Darryn Binder’s move into MotoGP, straight from Moto3, is a wise choice, even though an ambitious one.

That is the opinion of former motorcycle Grand Prix rider and multiple South African champion Dave Petersen. Petersen was commenting on the announcement that 23 year old Darryn will join his brother Brad in the world’s premier motorcycle racing discipline next year.

Darryn, who took one of the Petronas Sprint team’s Hondas to fourth place in last Sunday’s Gran Premio Nolan e dell’Emilia-Romagna Moto3 race at Misano in Italy, has been signed to ride for the RNF Yamaha MotoGP team in 2022.

He is to join veteran Andrea Divizioso in the satellite Yamaha equipe.

“The jump from Moto3 to MotoGP is a huge one, since the current MotoGP bikes are the fastest circuit racing motorcycles ever,” said Petersen.

“But, if you have the talent to handle it, it makes sense to go straight to the top class, rather than spend two or three years in the intermediate Moto2 class, hoping to get noticed by a MotoGP team.

“Some critics call Moto2 the ‘graveyard class’ where young careers go to die. Darryn has already impressed various people in the MotoGP class.

“He is the heaviest current rider in Moto3, because he is the tallest, and yet he consistently runs in the top end of the field. That indicates a lot of talent, bravery and persistence – all stuff you really need in MotoGP,” Petersen said.

In Darryn’s seven years in Moto3, he has won one race and stood on the podium six times.

“He knows all the circuits well and is a clinical, brave rider. I think he will adapt to the rigours of MotoGP well over next season, and be ready to run in the top 10 from 2023,” Petersen concluded.

Meanwhile Brad Binder clinched the Moto3 world title in 2016 for the Red Bull KTM team. He has stayed with the team since then, joined their MotoGP equipe two years ago, and has taken two MotoGP victories. Brad finished 11th in last Sunday’s race at Misano.

Darryn Binder will become the seventh South African rider to compete in the world’s premier motorcycle racing class, starting with Paddy Driver in 1959.

Apart from Brad, the others are Jon Ekerold, Kork Ballingon, Dave Petersen and Brett Hudson.