– It is official: Brad Binder will pilot the BMW M 1000 RR in the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) starting in the 2027 season. The 30-year-old South African is moving to a completely new world championship after seven years in MotoGP and will take over Danilo Petrucci’s spot at BMW.
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Binder meets a well-known face in the new environment. Miguel Oliveira, who switched from MotoGP to BMW in WorldSBK only for the 2026 season, will remain with the team in 2027 and beyond.
The two share a long history: they were already teammates in the 125cc and Moto3 classes, in Moto2, and later also in MotoGP.
BMW bets on Binder’s title ambitions
At BMW, there is no secret made of the expectations for the newcomer. Motorsport director Sven Blusch sees Binder not only as a prominent name for the rider pairing but as a rider with clear sporting ambitions.
“We are pleased to welcome Brad to the BMW motorsport family,” explains Blusch. He is particularly impressed by “his unwavering determination to start a new chapter in WorldSBK.” The South African’s goal is clear and ambitious: “He wants to fight for the world championship title.”
At the same time, BMW knows that Binder will initially face a learning phase. The switch from MotoGP to the BMW M 1000 RR means not only a new motorcycle but also a different motorsport with different technical conditions, tires, race formats, and a different field of riders.
“First, it is about getting used to the BMW M 1000 RR and the new world championship,” says Blusch. At the same time, they are convinced that Binder can quickly master this adaptation process. The manufacturer’s hopes are high.
Blusch describes the combination of Binder and Oliveira as particularly promising. “With Brad and Miguel, two former teammates come together again who complement each other perfectly in character and riding skills. This combination has great potential,” the BMW motorsport chief looks ahead.
From Moto3 world champion to MotoGP winner
Binder began his international Grand Prix career in 2012 in Moto3. He made his big breakthrough in 2016: with seven wins and a total of 14 podiums, he dominated the season and secured the world championship title convincingly.
He then moved up to Moto2, where he also established himself at the top. In 2018, he finished third in the world championship, and in 2019 he placed second. In total, he achieved eight race wins in the middle class. In 2020, he moved up to MotoGP.
Photo gallery: The career highlights of Brad Binder
During his entire MotoGP time, Binder remained loyal to KTM. Already in his third race, he won the Czech Grand Prix. In 2021, he followed up in Spielberg and caused one of his most spectacular MotoGP successes with a bold decision for slick tires on a drying track.
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To date, Binder has two MotoGP wins and a total of eleven podiums to his name. His most recent win was in Spielberg, and his last podium was in 2024 in Qatar.
Now follows the next big step in his career. After the KTM factory team is completely reorganizing in MotoGP with Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio, Binder is making a complete fresh start in WorldSBK with BMW.
Binder and Oliveira are old teammates
What makes the signing particularly interesting is the constellation within the BMW team. Binder and Oliveira know each other from several stages of their careers. They were already teammates in the then 125cc World Championship in 2011.
Later, they raced together for Red Bull KTM Ajo in Moto2 before ending up in the same team at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in MotoGP in 2021 and 2022.
Thus, BMW is betting in 2027 on a rider duo that does not have to get to know each other first. At the same time, two riders come together who have each made or are making the step from MotoGP to WorldSBK.
Oliveira already switched to the Superbike World Championship in 2026 and was able to quickly make an impact despite the adjustment. At his home race in Portimao, the Portuguese stood on the podium in all three races. Overall, he has collected four podiums in his rookie season so far.
However, a shoulder injury after a crash at the Balaton Park Circuit forced him to take a longer break. In early September, BMW finally confirmed that Oliveira will also race for the team in 2027 and beyond.
Now he gets a teammate in Binder who also comes from MotoGP but with a completely different experience background in the Superbike World Championship.
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Whether the familiar duo can actually become a title duo remains to be seen. BMW impressively proved with Toprak Razgatlioglu in 2024 and 2025 that the M 1000 RR can fight for the world championship. Now, with Binder and Oliveira, the next successful era is to be initiated.
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