Sylvain Guintoli thinks Pedro Acosta could make MotoGP move ‘nobody’ would have expected

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Pedro Acosta only moved to the KTM Factory Racing team ahead of the 2025 MotoGP season yet is already being linked with a move to Honda or VR46 for as early as 2026.

The 20-year-old is likely to be a central name in the MotoGP rider market this year with KTM struggling to deliver Acosta a race-winning bike. His top result before the Grand Prix of Spain on Sunday is the eighth-place the Spaniard recorded in the Grand Prix of Qatar last time out.

Acosta is also just 11th in the rider’s championship despite being the top KTM pilot ahead of teammate Brad Binder in 12th with 24 and 22 points. So, Honda and VR46 are keeping close tabs on the Mazarron native’s situation in case they can coax Acosta to leave KTM next term.

Sylvain Guintoli ‘can imagine’ Pedro Acosta joining Honda given their ‘rapid’ development

KTM have Acosta under contract through the 2026 MotoGP season after they promoted him from Tech3 to replace Jack Miller on a two-year deal. But Acosta’s KTM contract has a €5m (£4.5m) release clause, which may prove appealing with possible seats at Honda and VR46.

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

Valentino Rossi is looking to sign the Spaniard if the chance arises for him to replace Franco Morbidelli and VR46 have a cheque in hand to sign Acosta. It is also thought that VR46 lead Honda in the race to sign Acosta, who will use Monday’s test at Jerez to judge KTM’s future.

But while Rossi wants the Spaniard on the satellite Ducati, Sylvain Guintoli can ‘imagine’ the KTM rider making a move no one would have expected before this year and see Acosta join Honda. His agent, Albert Valera, has even been active as Honda met Acosta’s agent in Qatar.

Guintoli told TNT Sports 2 (25/04, 09:51): “Acosta is still under contract with KTM until the end of 2026. So, for him to move, they would have to buy him out, anyone who wants him would have to buy him out.

“But it’s not impossible, you can imagine a long-term deal for Acosta now. The big thing is that until the start of this year, nobody was considering a Honda as an option. None of the top riders, anyway.

“But because of the performances since the start of the year, they are back. They are back in people’s minds and managers’ minds, and they are looking like they are improving rapidly.”

Honda have turned their prospects around to potentially appeal to Pedro Acosta for 2026

MotoGP will stage its first in-season test of the 2025 campaign next Monday at Jerez, where Acosta will judge the upgrades KTM have in the pipelines to decide if they will soon give him a competitive bike. He can also see if Honda may find more progress after their recent gains.

Honda endured a humiliating season last year when LCR and the factory HRC team ranked in the bottom two positions in the teams’ championship with 86 and 35 points. Yet Honda hold sixth before the Spanish GP on 38 points after only the first four rounds of the 2025 season.

So, the RC213V may prove to be an appealing package for 2026 if the Japanese brand keep up their progress. Honda plan to demote Luca Marini to LCR and sign Acosta, as well, if they can convince the Italian to stay a part of their stable beyond his contract expiring this term.