– In the 2026 MotoGP season, Pedro Acosta once again proves his class with his previous results: As the current third in the world championship, the Spaniard is far ahead of his KTM brand colleagues. In his second year as a factory rider, he has taken the next step and receives prominent praise for it.
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Pol Espargaro, KTM test rider and expert for DAZN, now sees Acosta as a significantly more mature rider with title potential. He paints the picture of a rider who already had enormous speed last year but was still missing a crucial factor.
Acosta had “the same speed or a very similar one,” explains Espargaro, “but he lacked the maturity he has this season.” This development is now clearly visible: “Pedro has reached a point this season where he is fully unfolding,” he analyzes.
The veteran especially highlights the young Spaniard’s race intelligence. Acosta has learned to approach races more strategically: “He knows how to control the pace: when, how, and in which part of the track he needs to push.”
Equally important is the ability for self-discipline. Espargaro emphasizes that Acosta can now also accept results that do not meet his expectations.
“He knows how to be satisfied with positions he might not be happy with, but he understands that more risk would mean a crash – and therefore no points,” the KTM test rider points out a difference from previous years.
Photo gallery: The career highlights of Pedro Acosta
This new composure complements an already extraordinary talent. “He is very capable, has an inhuman, incredible talent,” says Espargaro. This very talent had sometimes caused him problems before because he pushed the limits too often. But now Acosta understands the motorcycle “much better.”
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At the same time, Espargaro also sees progress on the technical side. Compared to the previous season, KTM has improved: “We are a bit better than last year, we have more speed and consistently fight ahead of the Ducatis.” A look at the current manufacturer standings partly confirms this assessment.
After the first races, KTM is third with 65 points, just a few points behind Ducati. However, according to Espargaro, Aprilia has established itself as the new benchmark.
“Unfortunately, Aprilia has made a big step and pulled away a bit,” he admits. Nevertheless, he sees progress: At the most recent race in Austin, Acosta finished third, 4.4 seconds behind the winner Marco Bezzecchi, and that on a track that used to cause KTM significantly more problems.
The overall team performance is also cautiously optimistic. Despite the injury-related absence of Maverick Vinales, Enea Bastianini showed a strong performance with sixth place. For Espargaro, this is a clear signal: The motorcycle is moving again at a competitive level.
Looking ahead to the upcoming European phase, starting with the Grand Prix in Jerez, the Spaniard formulates a clear goal. They want to maintain or even improve the current performance level, “to get closer to Aprilia and fight on equal terms with them,” Espargaro states.
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