Pedro Acosta breaks his silence about Ducati: "It will be a great challenge"

Pedro Acosta is racing his third MotoGP season in KTM colors. Sixth overall in his debut, fourth in the standings in 2025, this year he is provisionally fourth after the first eight races. The Shark of Mazarrón has clinched his first Sprint win and is now chasing his first victory in a full-length race. It’s only a matter of time—the rising star is ready for takeoff... as he awaits his move to Ducati.

Rider #37 spoke at length on the Gypsy Tales podcast, without dodging even the toughest questions. The showdown with Marc Marquez is becoming a pre-written script, despite the two riding bikes with different performance levels. The Desmosedici GP26 is certainly faster than the RC16, even though it’s no longer the dominant prototype in MotoGP. For Acosta, it’s still a chance to collect experience—a springboard toward the front-running positions. With due deference to his rival (and future teammate). "If he’s not the best of all time, he’s on the same level as Valentino. What he has achieved is very hard for anyone else to surpass."

According to Pedro Acosta, Marquez’s true value isn’t measured solely by the nine world titles he’s won. It’s also in the resilience he showed in returning to victory after injuries—even at the cost of moving from the world’s biggest manufacturer to a satellite team. For now, there’s no comparison... "Think about his return to MotoGP, the win on his second attempt, and how much he suffered to get it... I’m young, I don’t have the money he has. Overall I have nothing compared to him. Yes, okay, two titles in the lower classes, but that’s nothing if you don’t close the circle."

Getting back to the top of MotoGP wasn’t easy, especially with the arrival of a new generation of fast, hungry riders who have emerged in recent years. One of them is Acosta himself, who holds deep respect for this internal battle. "For me, what makes Marc one of the greatest is the price he paid to come back. When you have the crown and lose it, you have to understand that younger riders are coming, like Quartararo, Pecco back then, Martín... They’re hugely talented guys, and you come back to take back what used to be yours. That was his goal. And he did it. It’s something I tip my hat to; no one deserved to achieve it more than he did. Marc deserves everyone’s respect for what he’s done, even if you’re his rival."

Many analysts view Pedro Acosta as the natural heir to Marc Marquez’s throne. It’s media pressure set to grow in proportion to the KTM rider’s results, even as he remains aware of his own limits. "If I ever reach my goal, I don’t want to be compared to Marc. Because he’s here now and I’ll need my time to get there."

In 2027 he will wear factory Ducati colors and share the garage with his idol. Two Spaniards leading the Desmosedici—it’s no longer a secret, even if the official announcement is still pending. While they await the chance to share bike and data, Marc and Pedro are already producing spectacular duels in the MotoGP World Championship. "It’s going to be a great challenge. I think that even if I didn’t win the championship, if I could fight with him until the end... in my mind I’d think: ‘Okay, you’re already where you wanted to be, you’re in that position.’ Even if I were to lose to him, it would be an honor. But at least I’d have the same tools and the same opportunities he has to win. A true comparison."

At the moment, he can’t express his full potential with KTM. And Pedro wants a bike that lets him race without regrets, to fight on equal terms with everyone. "I’m not here just to win. In many ways, I simply want to prove to myself that I’m not the problem."

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