Pedro Acosta awaits the 2027 Ducati: "I don't want any more excuses"

The KTM rider is trying to get the most out of his RC16; at Balaton Park he will once again attempt an assault on his first MotoGP victory: will he succeed?

The Hungarian Grand Prix is coming, and it will be interesting to see if Pedro Acosta can break into the fight for the podium. The Balaton Park Circuit proved fairly favorable to KTM in 2025, when the two-time world champion managed to finish second in the long race. A year later, Aprilia is stronger and Ducati can never be underestimated, so exact predictions are impossible; however, the 22-year-old from Mazarrón is himself stronger and more mature. Will he surprise?

He has not yet won his first MotoGP race; he only triumphed in the Sprint in Thailand on the opening weekend of the 2026 calendar, but it was a somewhat bittersweet success, as it came after a penalty handed to Marc Marquez for a maneuver deemed unfair during their duel. El Tiburon dreams of winning purely on his own merit, without anyone being able to dispute it. Doing it on a Sunday would be a true release.

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Even though he felt good at the Balaton Park Circuit in 2025, this year Acosta expects it to be even tougher to stay at the front: "I don’t have many expectations. It’s true that last year went quite well," reports AS, "and it was the first time I led on a Friday in MotoGP, but there was only one competitive Aprilia, Marquez was in his element, and the other Ducatis struggled a bit more. Now we arrive with four leading Aprilias, all the Ducatis are there, and Marc is certainly eager to make a statement and try to claw back points in the championship."

It will be a hard-fought weekend at the Hungarian GP. The Red Bull KTM Factory Team rider will give his all to be one of the protagonists, fully aware he faces fierce competition: "It’s about trying to put everything together as best as possible to try to surprise. I think we’re getting the most out of this bike. At Mugello, staying behind Marc helped me understand some things that will help me in the future."

Acosta is undoubtedly one of the top riders in MotoGP, but so far he hasn’t had a bike that allows him to fully express his potential and battle consistently for victory: "I hope the day comes when I don’t have to look for excuses every Sunday," he admits. "I’m engaged in my own psychological battle with myself. I’m doing everything they’ve asked: I’m not crashing and I’m much more consistent than last year."

Winning with KTM before leaving is one of his wishes, as he is very grateful to the Mattighofen manufacturer for the support received over the years. His future lies with Ducati; in 2027 he will be Marc Marquez’s teammate in the factory team. His hope is to make a step forward and finally be able to fight for victory every weekend. Next year will also bring the new technical regulations and a new tire supplier (Pirelli), so today it’s impossible to predict what the competitive order on track will be.