What Brad Binder needs to do to become MotoGP’s Rookie of the Year

South African Red Bull KTM Rider Brad Binder heads into the final Premier Class Grand Prix of 2020 on the brink of sealing MotoGP Rookie of the Year status.

What Binder needs to do in Portugal to become Rookie of the year

Binder’s fifth-place finish at the Valencian Grand Prix moved him up to 87 World Championship points and he is the only rookie in the field to have claimed a win this season. He holds a 20 point advantage over Honda’s Alex Marquez while the third rookie in the field Iker Lecuona has been ruled out of the race following his positive test for the coronavirus, and is out of the running for the honour.

Marquez needs to win the Portuguese MotoGP to stand any chance of scooping the Rookie of the Year honour. While the brother of eight-time world champion Marc, has shown great race pace at times this season, he also suffered a vicious highside at the Valencian Grand Prix. While he was medically cleared to race he struggled and finished outside of the points which gives Binder a big advantage.

Binder can clinch MotoGP’s Rookie of the year with a top ten finish at the Algarve International Circuit on Sunday 22 November, the six points on offer for tenth place would be enough to pip Marquez even if he wins the Portuguese Grand Prix. 

Watch: Marquez’s brutal highside

Binder has put in a rookie season that shows a great deal of promise and given the full support of his team could possibly propel Red Bull into the MotoGP championship discussion in the near future.

Suzuki rider Joan Mir was crowned MotoGP world champion at the Valencian Grand Prix on Sunday 15 November.

MotoGP Championship standings

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Nation	Points
1	Joan MIR (C)	Suzuki	SPA	171
2	Franco MORBIDELLI	Yamaha	ITA	142
3	Alex RINS	Suzuki	SPA	138
4	Maverick VIÑALES	Yamaha	SPA	127
5	Fabio QUARTARARO	Yamaha	FRA	125
6	Andrea DOVIZIOSO	Ducati	ITA	125
7	Pol ESPARGARO	KTM	SPA	122
8	Jack MILLER	Ducati	AUS	112
9	Takaaki NAKAGAMI	Honda	JPN	105
10	Miguel OLIVEIRA	KTM	POR	100
11	Brad BINDER	KTM	RSA	87
12	Danilo PETRUCCI	Ducati	ITA	78
13	Johann ZARCO	Ducati	FRA	71
14	Alex MARQUEZ	Honda	SPA	67
15	Valentino ROSSI	Yamaha	ITA	62
16	Francesco BAGNAIA	Ducati	ITA	47
17	Aleix ESPARGARO	Aprilia	SPA	34
18	Cal CRUTCHLOW	Honda	GBR	29
19	Iker LECUONA	KTM	SPA	27
20	Stefan BRADL	Honda	GER	18
21	Bradley SMITH	Aprilia	GBR	12
22	Tito RABAT	Ducati	SPA	10
23	Michele PIRRO	Ducati	ITA	4
24	Lorenzo SAVADORI	Aprilia	ITA