ACOSTA JOINS DUCATI TO TAKE ON MARQUEZ ON EQUAL MACHINERY

KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister says Pedro Acosta’s decision to leave for Ducati was driven by a sporting challenge, not a bigger salary. Neumeister personally tried to persuade the Spaniard to stay for the 2027 MotoGP season, but Acosta explained that he wanted to compete against Marc Marquez on equal machinery.

“He told me, ‘Gottfried, it’s not about a million more or less,’” Neumeister recalled. Acosta said it was important to him, as a Spaniard, to beat Marquez “with the same weapons.” Acosta has criticised riders who, in his view, leave the best bike for money rather than following what he considers the spirit of racing. Neumeister said the answer left him with no argument: “Then, I mean, you’re disarmed.” He added that he would always have “the best feelings” towards Acosta and that they would keep fighting together until the rider’s departure.

Acosta has signed a two-year deal with the factory Ducati team, where he will join reigning seven-time MotoGP champion Marquez as the championship enters its new 850cc and Pirelli era. The move will create an all-Spanish Ducati factory line-up. Acosta, who has been with KTM since his 2019 debut in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and progressed through Moto3 and Moto2 with the brand, is set to leave when his contract expires at the end of 2026.

The challenge is formidable: Marquez has generally beaten his teammates throughout his MotoGP career. Alex Marquez was the exception in 2020, when Marc missed the season after a serious arm injury. Acosta is nevertheless taking on the opportunity to test himself against the champion on the same machinery.

Before leaving KTM, Acosta delivered a landmark result at the Austrian manufacturer’s home race: his first premier-class victory, and KTM’s first grand prix win since 2022. He is fourth in the championship standings.

Neumeister also pushed back against praise that credits Acosta alone for KTM’s results. Recalling criticism he heard after Misano, he said he had called KTM motorsport chief Pit Beirer because people were asking what Acosta could extract from the bike. “It’s not only Pedro,” Neumeister said. “If the bike is not there, you’re unable to deliver this, and you would be on the last row.” He stressed that a strong rider depends on the work of the whole team.

KTM will have a new factory pairing in 2027. With Acosta moving to Ducati and Brad Binder heading to WorldSBK with BMW, Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio will join the Austrian squad. Neumeister said he was confident in both riders, noting that they wanted to join KTM and that the team had selected them too. He also expressed confidence that KTM could be well positioned despite losing other riders, including Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini.

Neumeister acknowledged that KTM would need to make changes and build greater security around the project, while emphasising that progress would take sustained effort rather than a quick fix. The company, he said, must keep improving its execution and use data-driven analysis in new ways to become successful over the long term.