PEDRO ACOSTA SAYS KTM MUST FIRST GAUGE RACEPACE AT SPIELBERG

Pedro Acosta arrived at Spielberg with confidence after a strong run of results, including a sixth and a third in Misano and two top finishes in the previous round in Aragon (fourth and second). Those points have helped him climb to fifth in the championship, sitting 65 points behind Ducati’s Marc Marquez.

For KTM, the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring is described as the most important date of the year. The team wants to turn recent form into a clear performance statement at its home race, with the goal not only to be competitive but also to fight for victory. The backdrop is challenging: Ducati has dominated the circuit historically, collecting ten Grand Prix wins across twelve race weekends. KTM, however, has previously managed to break that trend, winning two Sunday races and ending Ducati’s run.

Speaking at Thursday’s opening press conference, Acosta said the weather could play a role, but he emphasized that the focus is on what the bike can do. “We will see if the weather helps us this weekend,” he said. “But we came here with a good feeling. The last races went very well for us. It’s about seeing how the bike works here tomorrow. But it looks like we’ve made a step forward.”

When asked whether KTM can take another step with the RC16, Acosta pointed to the need for first-hand feedback after practice and qualifying. “As I said, I need to see how I feel on the bike tomorrow,” he explained. “But it looks like we won’t be doing any new crazy things to make a big step. Last year here I did well with a podium in the sprint and fourth in the main race.”

On the question of whether a win is realistic, Acosta tempered expectations despite the home advantage. “Right now we can’t think about winning,” he said. “It’s still our home GP, but Ducati is currently one step ahead, and Aprilia too. We just need to look at how competitive Marc was here last year. But not only Marc—generally, the Ducati works very well here. At the moment we’re still far away.”