Marco Bezzecchi
Pedro Acosta is going to be one of the hottest prospects on the MotoGP rider market heading into the 2027 season.
Almost the entire grid is out of contract at the end of 2026, which should spark a frenzy of activity ahead of the new regulations. It’s still unclear whether KTM will continue to compete in the new rule cycle, but if they don’t, then four riders will all have to find new homes.
For Acosta, that scenario won’t be an issue at all. You would be hard-pressed to find a team that wouldn’t be interested in his services currently. He’s yet to achieve his first MotoGP win, but has shown signs of progression after stepping up to a factory team this season. He has also dominated teammate Brad Binder.
Acosta is Ducati’s main target to replace Francesco Bagnaia, should the two-time champion fail to improve upon his current performance. On the other hand, Honda have made Acosta a ‘colossal’ offer and are ready to make him the face of their team. He almost has the choice of anyone he would like.
READ MORE: Pedro Acosta has shared his verdict on racing alongside Marc Marquez at Ducati amid ongoing interest
KTM must deliver the MotoGP bike Pedro Acosta ‘wants’ to avoid ‘early’ 2027 calls
Jack Miller finds watching Acosta scary, and can see that he is already prepared to take the fight to the experienced riders at the age of 21. Arguably, he has been the most consistent rider over the second half of the season.
Binder’s KTM experiments have hurt him and left him quite far behind his teammate, but it’s also a credit to the Spaniard during his first campaign with KTM. He has stepped up impressively and delivered almost from day one.
The Austrian manufacturer hasn’t been able to compete for victories in 2025, and they’re under pressure to deliver in 2026.
Ex-MotoGP agent Carlo Pernat has told Mowmag that he expects Acosta to make ‘calls’ as soon as the post-season test in Valencia next month, if KTM cannot give him what he ‘wants’.
“And do you think Pedro Acosta, who is managed by a fox like Albert Valera, won’t start making phone calls as early as the winter tests in Valencia if the KTM doesn’t immediately prove to be the bike Pedro wants?”
READ MORE: Carlo Pernat tells KTM to ‘be careful’ with Pedro Acosta amid ‘rumours’ about their star rider
Why Pedro Acosta can afford to wait before making his next MotoGP move
Although a conservative move, staying with KTM through the start of the new regulation cycle in 2027 may not be a bad idea.
From there, it will allow him to assess who is best-positioned to compete in the long run and avoid any risk in the situation.
Leaving KTM to see them produce a winning bike would be a real kick in the gut, but the allure of joining a team like Ducati may be too strong.
Valentino Rossi missed out on Acosta for 2026, and it might have been a transformational signing. But it would have been difficult to break him free of his current contract and very costly.
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