Why MotoGP's under-fire graduate has a point to prove

The doubts generated by the arrival of Darryn Binder in MotoGP have only increased after the incident caused by the South African that decided the Moto3 title at the Algarve Grand Prix. But they hide a deeper problem than the aggressiveness of younger riders, which affects the teams and the organisation.

If is one thing is clear, it's that Binder made a mistake at Portimao on Sunday when he took Dennis Foggia with him. The attempt to overtake was already reckless in itself, but his action was made even more serious because of its consequences: the attack decided the title in favour of Pedro Acosta. Logically, it was Foggia's Leopard team that was the most furious, but Binder's miscalculation also prevented Acosta from winning the title in style, without interference from third parties.

Binder is a regular in this type of mishap, which on more than one occasion has led to a penalty. It's difficult to think of a better nickname for the 23-year-old than the one he already has: 'Divebomb'. In this instance, the stewards decided to disqualify him from the race, but the general feeling is that the penance is far from the sin committed.

Once tempers returned to normal, the most relevant voices of the championship gave their opinion on what happened and on the echoes left by all the fuss. The perspective of the MotoGP riders is especially relevant because in a few months they will meet Binder on track. The Sepang Racing Team (SRT), renamed RNF, will promote him in 2022 directly to the premier class from Moto3, in a double somersault with a pirouette reminiscent of Jack Miller's direct jump in 2015.

However, there are some big differences worth noting between the two. The most important is that Miller moved up to the premier class without going through Moto2 because Honda saw in him as a special talent that had already been proven, with the Australian missing the 2014 Moto3 title to Alex Marquez by just two points. On the other hand, Binder's arrival can only be interpreted as a response to RNF's financial needs.

Darryn Binder, Petronas Sprinta Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

This is one of the weaknesses of a competition that, due to its high costs, directly conditions the alternatives for the independent teams when the time comes to sign their riders. An authoritative voice from SRT quantifies the capital that Binder will bring to the structure next year at half a million euros, a figure that has been decisive in his signing.

Once the departure of Petronas as the team's main sponsor was confirmed in August, many of the team's members have decided to move on. Razlan Razali, the owner, is replacing them with people he trusts, mostly from Malaysia. The fact that Yamaha has only decided to commit for one year (2022) is another indication of the lack of confidence that the project instils in those who have to supply the bikes for Binder and Andrea Dovizioso.

PLUS: Why Dovizioso is more of a temporary fix than a Yamaha gamble

Following the Foggia bust-up, most of the MotoGP riders responded to questions about whether they felt comfortable being on track with the controversial South African. 

"There is no name for Darryn Binder," Aleix Espargaro told Autosport. "There are aggressive riders who have changed. For example [Johann] Zarco, who used to be one of the most confrontational. Now he is still aggressive, but he has nothing to do with it. After the big crash he had in Austria [with Franco Morbidelli in 2020] he changed."

"I think that like in [Formula 1], we need a superlicence. If you are doing something [good] in your championship you can move to the next level"Francesco Bagnaia

"The most important thing is that this kind of action is penalised," agrees Joan Mir. "Not in the race in question, but that whoever carries them out misses one or two grands prix. It happens too often that a rider goes into a corner without thinking about the consequences."

At a time when governing body the FIM has rolled up its sleeves in an attempt to curb the increasing levels of aggressiveness that have taken hold in the lower categories and the grassroots championships, Binder's debut in MotoGP goes in the opposite direction to the inertia it is seeking to create.

PLUS: The financial implications fuelling junior bike racing's dangerous aggression

One of the possible solutions, probably the most popular, is the introduction of a 'superlicence' similar to the one Formula 1 drivers need to obtain before they can compete.

Darryn Binder, Petronas Sprinta Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

In F1, the criteria taken into account when granting this superlicence are eminently sporting, so that the applicant must be able to prove solvent results in the lower categories. The introduction of this procedure would avoid cases such as that of Binder, who in the seven years he has been in Moto3 has only been able to achieve one victory (in Barcelona last year), a further five podiums and three pole positions. In fact, until a couple of months ago, he had never trained on a big bike. He made his debut in Brno, on a Yamaha R1, in a private test.

"I think that like in [F1], we need a superlicence," Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia suggested. "Just if you are doing something [good] in your championship you can move to the next level. And today what we saw is normality, because we have seen a lot of crashes like this from [Binder]. So, I know that it’s not correct to say it about another rider, but this rider next year will be with us [in MotoGP] and I hope that [incident] will not happen. But it’s something they have to think on, I think."

Espargaro added: "What is obvious is that it should be more difficult to race in MotoGP."

"The problem," argues his brother Pol, "is that it will be difficult to ban this type of transfer because we are in a free market."

The Honda rider hits the nail on the head, as it is once again evident that the selection criteria of certain teams give priority to the amount of money that the newcomer can inject, above their theoretical sporting performance. And that, for Binder, doubles the problem he has had to deal with since he was announced by RNF at Misano.

"It's not all Darryn's fault, the guy has a lot of pressure to prove that he deserves to be in MotoGP, and that can lead him to make mistakes," Mir noted.

Binder has two weeks before he gets on what will be his new bike for at least 2022 at the Jerez test. For his sake and for the sake of others, it is best that he takes it as easy as possible. That will be the only way to prove that all those who question his MotoGP debut are completely wrong.

Darryn Binder, Petronas Sprinta Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images