MotoGP, first move in the rider market: Pedro Acosta to leave KTM

Pedro Acosta has not yet informed KTM that he will leave at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season. But Spanish sources are certain of his departure from the Orange brand, which will have to find a replacement. In fact, the rider is already lined up: his name is Maverick Vinales, ready to move from Tech3 to the factory team.

The two-time champion, winner of the Moto3 (2021) and Moto2 (2023) titles, has long made it clear that KTM is not giving him the tools he needs to fight for the championship. Less than a year ago he tried to get out of his contract early to leave the RC16 and join Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team. Unfortunately, it would have taken too much money to untangle the contractual clauses and everything was postponed to 2026.

Now Pedro Acosta has two possibilities for his future in the MotoGP class. The first is to sign with Ducati, either with the factory team or the Tavullia squad. Or he could accept Honda’s offer, more enticing financially but with still-uncertain potential. With the market buzzing for several months, Vinales is ready to sign with the Austrian manufacturer and take a seat in the factory squad. In his favor is the excellent season he was putting together with KTM Tech3 until his left shoulder injury in qualifying in Germany.

It remains to be seen who will be Maverick’s teammate from 2027 onward, because Brad Binder’s continuity is not certain after a dip in performance over the last two seasons. Two names are already on the wish list: Fabio Quartararo, now tired of Yamaha, and Alex Marquez, who wants a factory team after finishing runner-up in the last MotoGP World Championship.

Many want to see Pedro Acosta fight on equal terms with Marc Marquez. The talent from Mazarron seems to be MotoGP’s new rising star and could write the history of the World Championship in the coming years. With KTM, that’s not possible in the short term. While we await the nine-time champion’s announcement of his signing with Ducati, we’ll soon see all the other market moves with a thunderous domino effect. 2026 hasn’t even begun, but 2027’s engines are already warming up.