Pedro Acosta to Ducati? Marc Márquez’s response

Marc Marquez arrived in Madonna di Campiglio as the reigning champion and with a leading role in the Ducati MotoGP project. In less than a year he has displaced Pecco Bagnaia and the spotlight is primarily on him. Since his Honda days, the Cervera superstar has never put pressure on his garage mate. Meanwhile, the name of Pedro Acosta is emerging for 2027, though that scenario seems unlikely.

The nine-time world champion still has to fully recover from the Mandalika injury. But his hunger for titles is far from satisfied and he will restart with a single objective: to win the 2026 MotoGP championship. All the ingredients are there, the Ducati GP26 remains the bike to beat, until proven otherwise. Then there will be the regulatory revolution from 2027 which could reshuffle the cards on track. "I always say the same thing: there’s no obsession, but there are goals," Marc Marquez commented during the Lenovo Ducati team presentation. "This year I’d like to fight for another title. I believe we have the responsibility and the pressure to do it."

His contract renewal is close, and the manufacturer from Emilia has every interest in meeting the rider’s requests. The official announcement could even come around the time of the MotoGP tests; after that, attention will turn to the second rider. Pecco Bagnaia remains the priority, but it’s not a given that he will stay in red for the next two years. Everything will depend on results and the rider market. Many would like to enter the Ducati factory box, but there is only one seat available.

The name of Pedro Acosta is being linked to the Borgo Panigale brand. The hypothesis is quite plausible, though it’s hard to imagine a direct entry into the factory box. Even Marc Marquez first had to go through a satellite team. So the Shark of Mazarrón could settle in at VR46 with a factory-spec bike from 2027. "I haven’t set any conditions regarding my teammate," explains the Cervera superstar. "I’m focused on my project, my future, on what I need to be happy."

If Bagnaia were to be dropped from the Ducati MotoGP project, who would be the replacement? "You can never impose conditions on a project. For now, my teammate is Pecco," Marc Marquez concludes. "I respect him immensely and I won’t get into who could be my teammate."