Pedro Acosta explains why he is moving to Ducati in 2027 and what role Marc Márquez plays in this – in doing so, the Spaniard contradicts KTM’s account
Pedro Acosta has clarified why he has decided to move to Ducati from 2027. According to the Spaniard, his aim is not to beat Marc Márquez on identical machinery. Rather, he wants to learn from the multiple world champion and continue to develop in the best possible environment.
In doing so, Acosta contradicts the account given by KTM boss Gottfried Neumeister, who had attributed a particular motivation to him in his rivalry with Márquez.
On the sidelines of the Indonesian Grand Prix in Mandalika, Acosta explained that, for him, the sporting prospects had been the decisive factor. “The only goal that Albert Valera, my manager, and I had was to get me onto the most competitive motorbike and into the most competitive team of the past ten years. And I say ten years simply to give a figure.”
Acosta expressly rejects the notion that he is desperate to beat Márquez on the same motorbike: “It’s not about beating Marc.”
“It’s true that the only reason I wanted to ride with Marc was that I won’t get another opportunity to learn from the best rider in history, or the best rider of the past 15 years. That was the only thing I wanted to make clear when I chose Ducati and Marc.”
For Acosta, the long-term learning experience outweighs the risk of coming off second best in a direct comparison. “Because even if I lose, being alongside him will benefit my career more in the long run than it will cost me if he beats me,” he says, explaining his motivation for the move.
Acosta rejects KTM’s account
The background to this clarification lies in statements made by KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister at the Austrian Grand Prix. He had reported that he had tried to persuade Acosta to stay with a lucrative offer and the prospect of a bike capable of winning. However, the Spaniard had made it clear that money was not his priority.
“I still get goosebumps when I think about him saying to me: ‘Please, Gottfried, it’s not about a million more or less. We’ve seen riders who have the best bike at the start of the season and then simply sign for other teams for financial reasons. To me, that’s not in the spirit of the competition,” Neumeister recalled.
The KTM boss then described Acosta’s alleged motivation with regard to the upcoming MotoGP era featuring 850-cc engines and his move: “He simply said: ‘I’m Spanish. ‘Even if you have a better KTM 850 and I win on it, I want to beat Marc with the same weapons.’
However, Acosta made it clear in Mandalika that, in his view, there had never been any real negotiations with KTM. “The problem is that I never negotiated with KTM. They sent me a contract, and I said no.”
“They came to me to try to change my mind, but I told them that I wouldn’t change my mind under any circumstances. Because when I wanted to leave last year, they accused me of not honouring my contract,” explains the Spaniard, thereby confirming rumours that he wanted to leave KTM early at the end of the 2025 season, but that the manufacturer kept him on.
“ “After that, I told them that under no circumstances – not even for all the money in the world – would I ever put myself in the same situation I was in back then again. They should just forget about it,” Acosta makes clear.
Although KTM made him a counter-offer, no negotiations took place. He had already made up his mind. “I think that was the decision I’ve given the least thought to in my life.”
