Pedro Acosta praises the 2026 KTM: his first MotoGP win is closer

Acosta made positive comments about the RC16 he tested during the MotoGP test in Malaysia: KTM has catered to his needs.

The afternoon was lost due to heavy rain, but Pedro Acosta seems quite pleased with the work KTM has done. Already at the end of the first day of MotoGP testing at the Sepang International Circuit his comments were positive; on the second day he reiterated that the new RC16 is a step forward compared to the previous version. It goes without saying that it will need to be tried again on other tracks to be sure of the improvement, but the two-time world champion is fairly satisfied so far. Today he set the fourth fastest time overall, 242 thousandths behind leader Joan Mir, even if the standings mean little in pre-season.

Even if he doesn’t want to get carried away, Acosta can only highlight the quality of the work KTM has done on the 2026 MotoGP prototype: "Today I was focused on the aerodynamic package - reports Speedweek - The bike is simply faster. It’s no longer necessary to push 100% to set a good lap time; everything comes more easily. When the tire wears, the bike stays more consistent. We need to be realistic. My goal is to arrive in Thailand with the best combination of all the components available: fast and consistent."

The aerodynamic updates have convinced the Spanish rider, who was also expecting progress in terms of rear tire wear and performance. The first day and a half of work at Sepang provided encouraging answers to what until last year was a major issue with the RC16. Braking and corner entry stability have also improved. Clearly, work must continue to put together a winning package.

The new frame was approved by Acosta on day 1, but work on that front will also continue tomorrow. There’s also a new version of the carbon swingarm that could bring advantages. Overall, it seems KTM has worked effectively in months during which there has been ongoing talk about the brand’s future in MotoGP, with the need to bring in new investors to make a very expensive project more solid, one that could lose Red Bull’s support from 2027.