Pedro Acosta is expecting several riders to jump ship ahead of the start of MotoGP’s new era in 2027, but admits the upcoming regulation changes leave a “question mark for everyone.”
MotoGP’s silly season is in full swing heading into the first test of the year in Sepang, with the majority of the grid out of contract at the end of 2026.
Acosta finds himself at the centre of the rider market, with the KTM star widely tipped to join reigning world champion Marc Marquez at the factory Ducati team in 2027. Such a move could trigger a chain reaction across the field, particularly as it would displace two-time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia from the seat he has held since 2021.
Speaking after KTM’s online launch on Tuesday, Acosta offered his thoughts on MotoGP’s rider market heading into the new season.
“I think those who are happy where they are will stay, and those who aren’t will move on,” he said. “With such a big question mark, as we don’t know what will happen in 2027, people who are comfortable won’t take any risks either, because at least they are comfortable with the people they are with. It will be a question mark for everyone.”
Earlier this month, Acosta’s manager Albert Valera revealed that the 21-year-old’s priority is to secure a factory seat, whether at Ducati or elsewhere, although VR46 also remains an option for him.
Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Photo by: KTM Images
While Acosta rose through the ranks with KTM and made his MotoGP debut with its satellite team Tech3 in 2024, the Austrian marque hasn’t won a race in more than three seasons.
Last year, KTM finished third in the manufacturers’ standings, behind Ducati and Aprilia, after a mid-season upgrade elevated its fortunes and helped Acosta become a regular podium contender.
Asked if KTM could convince him to stay beyond this year, Acosta said: “We know that 2025 has been more difficult for all KTMs than we expected, but that’s what I’m saying.
“I want to get on the bike and see what I find. I can honestly say that they’ve worked incredibly hard over the winter, even more than I expected, because I think I was quite tough and quite clear about the things I wanted.
“The truth is that they’ve worked incredibly hard compared to how we were in pre-season last year. So, we’ll have time to see. I’m in no rush.”
Acosta reiterated that tyre management remained the RC16’s key weakness, particularly over long-distance races.
Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Photo by: KTM Images
“I asked for things that were very obvious, because you could see in many races that we could be competitive in the sprint, but after the sprint I knew that the long race wasn’t going to be much like the sprint,” he said.
“It was clear that we had a bike that was a bit inconsistent, we lacked consistency in the races, the tyres wore out a lot, so that was mainly what I asked for.
“The thing is that the other two things, which were basically a matter of tyres and working a little faster in the pits, are also linked to that first big problem we have, which is that we are not able to finish a race with the tyres in good condition.”
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