Brad Binder plays at home
In the lead up to this year’s edition of the Austrian event, Brad Binder had the chance to return to South Africa to set a ‘Superlap’ on the current 4.529km layout of Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit.
In doing so Binder became the first premier class GP rider in 30 years to set a benchmark lap time around Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, a track that lies north of Johannesburg and just an hour from Binder’s hometown of Krugersdorp.
The last rider to set a record lap around Kyalami on a premier class bike was Australia’s Wayne Gardner at the 1992 South African Motorcycle Grand Prix. On a different track layout to that raced by Gardner, Binder set the standard for a modern-era MotoGP bike at 1m 42.260s.
The name ‘kyalami’ (broadly translated) means ‘my home’ in Zulu, one of South Africa’s official languages, so it was fitting that Binder did something spectacular ‘at home.’
Using a 2019 KTM RC16 the 27-year-old had the chance to lap his home circuit at speed, an experience he described as “incredible”.
“Today was incredible, it was so much fun to go out and get the chance to ride the MotoGP bike around such an amazing track. A track that I grew up riding on.
“Just to go through Turn 1 at this track is quite special because it’s quite unique, there’s nothing else like it out there and it feels cool to be sixth gear flat out and lean over on a MotoGP bike. It’s special to know that we will hold the record for a while I would imagine.”
In addition to lapping Kyalami in a new fastest time, Binder was afforded the opportunity to ride the race-spec bike on South African roads as part of a light-hearted action edit that followed his preparation for the lap.
“It’s been super fun, it’s something I never thought I would do in my life, riding a MotoGP bike around in some iconic spots all over Johannesburg,” Binder added.
This weekend Binder and his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team return to the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The South African is the defending winner, after sealing an astounding victory in 2021 when he remained on dry tyres in wet conditions to cross the line ahead of his rivals who had pitted for wet tyres.
A brief history of Kyalami
The original Kyalami circuit was constructed in 1961 and was soon established as the premier motorsport facility in Southern Africa. It wasn’t long before it became a regular Formula One venue and in its golden era, it was regarded as one of the 10 best Grand Prix circuits in the world.
Kyalami hosted numerous international events on its original layout until 1988. Some 18 rounds of the F1 World Championship were hosted at the circuit between 1967 and 1985, with the annual 9-Hour and 1,000km endurance races continuing from the circuit’s inception until 1988. After 1988 the circuit complex underwent various changes.
With the return of the Grand Prix in 1992 and 1993, a new section of the circuit was added which housed the new (and current) pit complex and main straight. This version of the circuit was 4.246km in length, with the main straight 15m wide and the rest of the circuit 12m in width.
Aside from F1, the 500cc Motorcycle World Championship also made a return to the revised circuit in 1992, while from 1998 to 2002 and from 2009 to 2010 Kyalami hosted rounds of the popular World Superbike Championship (WSBK).
Besides local racing and exhibitions, the track with its uniquely-named six right and nine left corners hadn’t seen much action since then.
