ACOSTA AND MARQUEZ TAKE CENTER STAGE IN ARAGON AS KTM HOPES FOR PACKAGE ADVANTAGE

Pedro Acosta arrives at his home Grand Prix in Aragon with confidence in KTM’s base package and a clear sense of what will decide the fight for the podium. After a detour to Le Mans—where he took part in a 24-hour kart race—Acosta returned to Spain for a circuit he says typically suits him well. In his recent Aragon outings, he has finished third, third, fifth and fourth across 2024 and 2025, and he believes KTM can “get 100 percent” out of what they have.

“Normally it’s a good track for me and KTM,” Acosta said. He pointed to his rookie season success at the venue, when he scored two podiums. Looking ahead, he stressed that the key variable is not only KTM’s own performance but how strong the front-running rivals are—especially Ducati and Aprilia. “In the end it’s about how fast the Ducati and the Aprilia will be. In Silverstone we saw that if four Aprilias are unbeatable, it’s difficult to think about a podium.”

Aragon has long been Marc Marquez’s territory, and Acosta acknowledged the scale of the challenge. Marquez has won repeatedly at the venue—2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024 and 2025—and he also took sprint wins in the last two years. Asked whether his future teammate could be unbeatable again, Acosta replied that Marquez is still the rider to beat. “Marc is the man you have to beat—even if in Silverstone he had difficulties. Not for nothing is there a corner named after him on this track,” he said, referring to Turn 10.

Marquez himself also spoke about why Aragon matters to him, saying he “likes the track” because it fits his riding style. With the weekend underway, he enters as World Championship fourth and 40 points behind leader Jorge Martin (Aprilia). He linked his current confidence to recovery work during the second summer break, explaining that he has been able to build up additional muscle in his right arm. Marquez said all his problems are connected to seven different operations on his right shoulder, and that he does not feel extra pressure compared with the past. He added that last year it was easier to ride here, while in Silverstone—on Friday and Saturday—he could not give “100 percent” and could only manage fourth. He expects Aragon to be more manageable because of the many left-hand corners that suit his style, while also stressing he wants to remain competitive in the following races.

Martin, meanwhile, arrives with Aragon as both a home event and a first for him in 2025: after a run of injuries that kept him out for months, the 2024 champion is back on the Aprilia at MotorLand for the first time this year. Following Pole, a sprint win and second place in the GP at Silverstone, he leads the standings on 240 points. Asked if Silverstone was a turning point, Martin said: “Ja, auf jeden Fall.” He added that he is not chasing euphoria, but wants to confirm the pace: “We have much work ahead… It’s important to confirm again that we are competitive and that what we did in Silverstone helps here.” He summed up the feeling as “The package is good and I like the track.”

Martin also addressed Marquez as the benchmark. “MM93” has seven Aragon wins and has been unbeaten since switching from Honda to Ducati in 2024. Martin said that doesn’t bother him: “Only fighting Marc would be good.” He explained his approach: he can’t control whether Marquez is fast, but he will “try to find the maximum possible pace,” and if he has a chance to win, he will take it.

Acosta then framed the competition in terms of the whole grid rather than one rider. “But as I said: ‘If Ducati is unbeatable here, then you have five Ducatis at the front. If Aprilia is strong, then all four will be at the front.’ For us it’s sometimes very difficult to close the gap to them. Anyway, it’s a question of time.”

On the technical side, KTM has revised the engines of its RC16s in Munderfing with MotoGP permission, replacing “damaged, performance-relevant mechanical components” supplied by a partner. Acosta was asked whether that could translate into more power this weekend. He played it down, saying he doesn’t expect a major change in output and that it’s not something he can control. “I don’t think so, but it doesn’t bother me… We have the same power available that we had here last year and in the last races. If there is more power, that’s good, but it’s not in my hands. I always give everything I have.”

Finally, Acosta commented on KTM’s upcoming lineup changes. He will leave KTM at the end of 2026 and join Ducati’s factory team in 2027. This week, it was announced that Luca Marini will ride for Tech3 next year. Asked whether Marini is a good choice, Acosta said, “They selected him, so yes.” He added that Marini has shown pace and consistency across different eras—earning pole positions at VR46, delivering strong races with Honda, and developing well. “He’s very consistent and a good development rider. I think KTM will have a good lineup.”

There was also a notable absence from the weekend: Ai Ogura, the World Championship third, suffered a thumb injury in training, underwent an operation, and will miss Aragon. Martin said: “I hope he’s doing well after the operation and that he’ll be back soon,” adding that they want “all riders on track.”