Pedro Acosta is hungry: what he’s asking of KTM for 2026

While waiting to make a decision about 2027, Acosta hopes KTM is working to give him a more competitive RC16.

The second half of Pedro Acosta’s 2025 season was undeniably positive. From Brno to Valencia he scored 12 podiums between sprints and long races across 11 Grands Prix, finishing 4th in the overall standings. His goal of winning his first MotoGP race slipped away, but the consistency he found in regularly finishing in the top 4–5 is a sign of the rider’s maturity, after being very disappointed at the start of the championship to realize he didn’t have an RC16 that met his expectations.

Putting the disappointment aside, he focused on doing his best with the technical package available. The two-time world champion made the difference and brought home many good results, even though after the last GP in Valencia he was blunt in saying he threw away a year. He wants to fight to win races and titles.

The next year will be important for everyone. Manufacturers will have to work on both the 2026 and 2027 prototypes, the year when the new technical regulations will come into force and there will also be a new tire supplier (Pirelli); riders with expiring contracts will evaluate the options on the table to try to choose the best one, and delivering positive results from the very first Grands Prix will help.

Acosta is a great talent and will have no trouble finding a seat. But before focusing on the future, he also wants to have a top-level 2026. KTM, which says it wants to stay in MotoGP in 2027 and wants to convince Pedro to renew, will need to put an RC16 on track with fewer limitations than those seen in the last championship.

The Spanish rider can’t wait to try the new prototype during the Sepang test scheduled for February 3, 4 and 5. He hopes to have in his hands a KTM improved in terms of traction and tire wear, two aspects Acosta highlighted several times during the 2025 season. Certainly, having a bit more stability under braking and more grip when cornering are other factors he hopes to see addressed positively in Malaysia.

Clearly, every manufacturer always works to improve the entire package, but there are some areas where KTM needs to focus more if it wants to try to take a significant step forward. Pedro has pointed out the path to follow—will the Mattighofen factory oblige?