KTM director Pit Beirer is ‘convinced’ of one thing about Pedro Acosta’s future amid contract regret

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Pedro Acosta stepped up from Tech3 to the KTM Factory Racing team on a two-year contract yet motorsport director Pit Beirer is already ‘convinced’ of what lies ahead.

The 20-year-old sensation has taken over the bike Jack Miller previously held alongside Brad Binder at KTM as Acosta embarks on a second season on the grid. KTM chiefs felt forced to cancel plans to retain Miller after Acosta immediately thrived on a MotoGP bike last season.

It took Acosta just two rounds to score the Mazarron native’s debut premier class podium in the Grand Prix of Portugal with third place. He also backed it up with a further four podiums through the 19 Grand Prix that he started after sitting out the race in Australia due to injury.

Pit Beirer is ‘convinced’ KTM can show Pedro Acosta they have a winning MotoGP bike

A debut MotoGP race win eluded Acosta in 2024 yet he was nearly the highest-ranked KTM rider in the standings. Binder edged Acosta for top KTM honours in fifth place on 217 points to 215, while Miller only claimed P14 with 87 and Tech3’s Augusto Fernandez got P20 on 27.

His efforts left Beirer with no choice but to release Miller, who joined Pramac with a one-year Yamaha deal. KTM gave Acosta a two-season, £400k-a-year contract to get the Australian’s spot beside Binder. Yet it is already said Acosta regrets signing with KTM for 2025 and 2026.

Acosta and his camp did not like that they only learned about KTM’s financial issues as they came to light in the public. The Austrian brand’s issues have also seen Valentino Rossi show interest in signing Acosta for VR46. But Beirer is convinced KTM can keep Acosta long-term.

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

“We have signed these riders for two years, and we will have to wait and see what happens after that,” Beirer said, via quotes by Speedweek, with Binder also under contract with KTM and new Tech3 riders Enea Bastianini plus Maverick Vinales even on two-year factory deals.

“If they bring the success that we all want, then they will not become cheaper in the future. We have also managed in other sports that if talents become big and really good with us, then we can usually keep them.

“We will not be able to keep Pedro Acosta after the two years if we don’t have a winning motorcycle. But I am convinced that we will prove in that time that we have such a motorcycle, and he would like to stay with us.”

Pedro Acosta led the way for a troubled KTM during 2025 pre-season testing

Beirer and KTM might have their work cut out to convince Acosta that his long-term future in MotoGP is with the Austrian outfit, regardless of their parent company’s financial issues. How KTM are stacking up in MotoGP’s 2025 pecking order is already not looking that great.

Acosta tried to hide his disappointment with KTM’s bike during the Sepang Test, yet he was their quickest rider on Day 1 in P11 overall, on Day 2 in P7 and Day 3 in P6. Acosta was also 0.841s, 0.595s and 0.682s off the best times on each day at the Malaysian Grand Prix track.

READ MORE: Everything to know about KTM from the MotoGP team’s riders to hierarchy

The Buriram Test was also a time to forget for the Austrian crew as Acosta reluctantly admits KTM still have a chatter issue. While the Spaniard posted the fifth-fastest overall lap time on Day 1, he was still 0.720s off Ducati pilot Marc Marquez’s pace at the Thai Grand Prix circuit.

His margin to Marquez atop the Day 2 timesheets did fall to 0.278s at Buriram. But KTM will need to find a lot of speed over the next two years and bridge their gap to Ducati if Acosta is to see his long-term future with the Austrian outfit ahead of MotoGP’s rule changes in 2027.