Pedro Acosta has been enjoying a solid run of form with KTM in recent weeks. But his persona off the track may be telling a different story.
After a difficult start to the season, where the RC16 proved to be a handful for the KTM riders, the Spaniard is beginning to see signs of improvement. While the bike is still far from perfect, Acosta is starting to fight at the front more regularly.
The 21-year-old registered his best result of the season at the Aragon Grand Prix. Qualifying fifth on the grid, Acosta finished in P4, five seconds off of his first podium of the season.
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time/Diff |
| 1 | Marc Marquez | Ducati Lenovo (GP25) | 41m 11.195s |
| 2 | Alex Marquez | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP24) | +1.107s |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Lenovo (GP25) | +2.029s |
| 4 | Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +7.657s |
| 5 | Franco Morbidelli | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP24) | +10.363s |
| 6 | Fermin Aldeguer | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP24)* | +11.889s |
| 7 | Joan Mir | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +14.938s |
| 8 | Marco Bezzecchi | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP25) | +16.022s |
| 9 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) | +18.321s |
| 10 | Raul Fernandez | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP25) | +19.190s |
| 11 | Alex Rins | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +19.646s |
| 12 | Enea Bastianini | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +24.624s |
| 13 | Augusto Fernandez | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +25.986s |
| 14 | Jack Miller | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +26.761s |
| 15 | Miguel Oliveira | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +27.122s |
The KTM rider was the only one to gamble with a hard front tyre for the race. Acosta said ‘it can’t get any worse’ after making the decision, but it paid off handsomely with a strong performance.
Despite grabbing his fifth top eight finish in a row, the Spaniard has continued to reiterate the problems with his bike as he tries to push the team forward.
Acosta sent KTM a desperate plea for help recently, as he stressed that all four riders have been suffering on the RC16 this season. His dejection towards the manufacturer spells worrying news for his future.
Acosta and Brad Binder have demanded action from KTM after visiting the factory in Austria. The South African had been enjoying his best weekend of the season, reaching Q2 automatically and was running P5 up until he crashed out at turn three at the midway point.
His teammate has been despondent about KTM in interviews throughout the season. Acosta even said his best MotoGP race was ‘annoying’, after he finished sixth at Silverstone.
Acosta ‘will not dare’ speak publicly about leaving KTM, with rumours swirling about his future with the team. But journalist David Emmett has seen the 21-year-old has ‘completely given up’ on the team after speaking to him in media debriefs.
“Pedro just feels like he’s completely given up on KTM already. It really feels like he has no enthusiasm for anything,” he said via the Paddock Pass Podcast.
“It’s the opposite to his rookie year. Again, when you’re a rookie, you also perhaps enjoy the attention. His enthusiasm, his joy, he just doesn’t… like when he comes up to speak to us, it doesn’t feel like he wants to do it.
“He doesn’t look like he’s enjoying himself. It just really feels like he’s consigned this to, and he’s just seeing it out.”
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KTM ‘restricted Acosta’s contract from having the same exit clause as Jorge Martin, who is trying to force a way out of Aprilia in 2026. The pair share Albert Valera as their manager, with KTM wanting to avoid repeating their situation with Martin, after he left the team for Pramac in 2021.
Acosta is said to be considering his future with KTM, even if he will not publicly talk about his situation. Honda could look to sign the 21-year-old, while Valentino Rossi is interested in signing Acosta for VR46.
The Spaniard has a two-year factory contract with KTM, but Acosta faces huge uncertainty on and off the track, as the manufacturer’s owners are set to focus on cuts.
Marc Marquez says Acosta would be faster on a Ducati, given his struggles at KTM this season. It is understood that Ducati would be the Spaniard’s preferred choice.
