Brad Binder admits he needs to be extra careful with his remaining KTM RC16 engine allocation after a series of technical issues plagued the Austrian manufacturer early in the 2026 season. The problems forced KTM to reduce revs and request permission from the manufacturers' association to unseal engines for repairs.
That request was eventually granted, and a fix is now in place. However, the consequences remain: all KTM riders have lost at least one engine from their allocation. Pedro Acosta has lost two, while Binder has lost three. With regulations allowing eight engines per season, Binder now has only one fresh engine left before the 13th round at Aragon this weekend.
Binder revealed he hasn't had detailed discussions with the team yet but is aware he must "look after" his remaining engines. "They told me they fixed what was broken. The only issue is I've lost so many. I'm going to have to be good to them," he said at Aragon on Thursday.
He added that there is no guarantee the remaining engines will last until the end of the season. "We've lost so many engines early on, so I think it's going to get a bit tricky. Let's see," he remarked.
If Binder is forced to use an engine outside his allocation, penalties include starting from pitlane in both sprint and main race, or a 25-second time penalty if the engine is fitted during a flag-to-flag bike change.
KTM hopes the fix will prevent further issues, but Binder remains cautious. This situation tests KTM's ability to maintain consistent performance for the remainder of the season.
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