DOVIZIOSO MARVELS AT ACOSTA’S TYRE MANAGEMENT
6 Nov 2026·
Andrea Dovizioso says Pedro Acosta’s ability to combine forceful riding with effective tyre management is one of the most striking things about watching the young Spaniard race.
Speaking on the 04 Bar podcast, the 15-time Grand Prix winner said Acosta’s natural physical ability helps make his riding look remarkably effortless. Dovizioso described him as particularly aggressive under braking, rather than on corner exits: pushing too hard when accelerating out of a turn, he explained, inevitably wears the rear tyre.
That makes Acosta’s race pace all the more puzzling to Dovizioso. “He manages to brake hard, he manages to be aggressive, he manages to overtake, but he doesn’t wear out the rear tyre,” he said. Dovizioso admitted he did not know whether Acosta achieves this deliberately, adding that he was unfamiliar with how the rider and KTM work together. Still, he marvelled that Acosta can “make it to the end of the race” while riding in such an attacking fashion.
The Italian said tyre conservation is a challenge for riders who are not winning, yet Acosta has continued to secure second places and podiums without losing his effectiveness. “Even when he’s riding fast, he still knows how to manage his tyres,” Dovizioso said, calling that ability a major advantage.
Acosta, who joined MotoGP in 2024, has built a reputation for an old-school, highly aggressive style and has become one of the grid’s most sought-after talents. He remains KTM’s leading rider, and his latest appearance at the Malaysian Grand Prix brought his second victory of the season in the Sprint.
The report says Ducati have secured Acosta for MotoGP’s next technical-regulation era, with the Spaniard expected to receive the first bike of his career capable of helping him challenge regularly for wins. His future competition with new teammate Marc Marquez will also draw attention. Marquez is the reigning world champion, while Acosta is still near the start of his career, leaving open the possibility of a shift in the balance of power in 2027.