Pedro Acosta shares worrying KTM verdict ahead of 2025 season, ‘something has happened’

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Pedro Acosta was the lead KTM rider throughout MotoGP Testing. On the final day in Buriram, he was fourth quickest, three-tenths off the pace of Marc Marquez.

Theoretically, that bodes well for KTM’s chances of a strong qualifying result at the Thailand Grand Prix in a fortnight’s time. But the true competitive landscape remains unclear even after 40 hours of track action.

Indeed, Jack Miller says the ‘scary’ Ducati haven’t shown their hand, even after Marquez set the pace. Francesco Bagnaia was only fifth on Thursday, but it would be a major surprise if he was that far down the grid for the season opener.

Acosta and KTM will hope to be the best of the rest. Riding for Tech3, he finished just two points behind Brad Binder in his rookie year.

It’s worth noting that Acosta had more crashes than anyone else in 2024 too. Simply finishing more races would, on that basis, be enough for him to beat Binder, even if he doesn’t unlock more speed.

KTM arguably have the best depth of any manufacturer this season after placing Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales at Tech3. Bastianini is already studying Acosta’s data in an attempt to optimise the unfamiliar machinery.

Pedro Acosta at a loss to explain KTM struggles in Buriram Test

Despite his strong position in the timesheets, Acosta didn’t walk away from pre-season satisfied. KTM have cancelled media scrums for their riders, but he did speak to Spanish broadcaster DAZN.

The 20-year-old says they ‘weren’t doing well’ in Buriram, but haven’t worked out why. He was left feeling like a ‘lottery’ would determine the pecking order.

This is a worrying sign for KTM fans. The main goal of any team in testing, more so than setting headline lap times, is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the motorcycle – something Pit Beirer’s squad clearly lack.

They do have some time to review the data before the competitive action begins. But as it stands, they may struggle to consistently unlock the speed of the RC16.

“Something has happened, we weren’t doing well,” Acosta said. “It’s difficult to understand why some are doing well, others badly. It’s a bit like a lottery”

The ‘horrific’ problem KTM experienced on the final day of MotoGP testing

Acosta’s concerns may centre round KTM’s long-run pace. The lap times showed a major drop-off, certainly relative to Marquez and Ducati.

It seems KTM are experiencing ‘horrific’ tyre issues. This is supported by the eye test, with observers reporting that their Michelin rubber looked ‘chewed up’ when they returned to the pits.

• READ MORE: Everything to know about Pedro Acosta from net worth to girlfriend

While Acosta might qualify well for the Thai GP, there’s a risk of sharp regression in the race if this problem can’t be addressed. It’s unclear whether two weeks is enough to get on top of it.

On 25 February, just three days before the first practice session, creditors are due to vote on a restructuring plan amid the company’s massive debts. KTM insiders are convinced the plan will succeed, securing the future of the racing operation.