Pedro Acosta is causing a stir with his strong rise in form – Marc Marquez is convinced: Soon, the KTM star will have a free choice between all manufacturers
Marc Marquez has also noticed Pedro Acosta’s recent leap in performance. Including the sprints, he has shared the podium with him four times in the last three MotoGP weekends. In Hungary, Acosta was his closest rival.
When asked about the KTM rider’s rise and what he thinks he could achieve on a Ducati Desmosedici, Marquez emphasizes: “Nobody knows. But what I believe is that if he continues like this, in a year and a half he will be able to choose which brand he wants to ride for. He has a great future ahead of him.”
Like most rider contracts, Acosta’s KTM contract expires at the end of 2026. Marquez analyzed: “In MotoGP, you currently have Martin, Bezzecchi, Acosta, and Aldeguer, all riders who will shape the future of the championship.”
It almost came to a break with KTM
The current season got off to a rather bumpy start for Acosta. Top results failed to materialize and the Spaniard’s frustration even went so far that he toyed with the idea of leaving KTM a year earlier than contractually agreed, i.e., at the end of the season.
The manufacturer categorically ruled this out. This dashed his hopes of moving to the Ducati VR46 team, where he could have replaced Franco Morbidelli. Once he accepted that leaving was impossible, Acosta focused all his energy on getting the most out of the equipment he had.
This change in mentality coincided with the introduction of a new KTM fairing, which was made available to all four factory riders from the Austrian Grand Prix onwards. Since then, Acosta, who had already made a name for himself with a podium finish in Brno before the summer break, has regained his former strength.
The next talents are waiting in the wings
In the last three races, he has scored two podium finishes and 65 points – more than in the first seven races of the season combined. His second place in Hungary saw him overtake Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli in the overall standings.
This puts the KTM rider in fifth place, chasing Marco Bezzecchi in fourth, who is 33 points ahead. Marc Marquez clearly dominates at the front, but even he knows that the changing of the guard will happen sooner or later.
The eight-time world champion is even involved in promoting young talent himself, especially since he founded his own management agency, Vertical. Among the latest additions is Maximo Quiles, the new sensation in Moto3.
At just 17 years of age and in his debut season, which he was only able to start in Austin due to age restrictions, Quiles has already shown great potential: one victory and five podium finishes in the last seven races. “Talent is growing in Spain, and that’s the key,” Marquez emphasizes.