Marco Bezzecchi
Pedro Acosta’s future at KTM was up in the air during the first half of the current MotoGP campaign. The Spaniard has explained the reasoning behind why he was so adamant on an exit from the factory outfit.
The 21-year-old has had another very impressive season during his sophomore term in the premier class, and became an attractive option for multiple brands across the paddock after a potential departure from KTM came to light.
However, Dorna moved to block a potential exit for Acosta, highlighting the importance for riders to honour their current contracts to save the MotoGP rider market from becoming a free-for-all.
Acosta’s KTM contract will see him remain with the team until the end of the 2026 season, a period in which the majority of the grid will also be out of contract due to the new MotoGP regulations that will come into effect the following year.
READ MORE: Pedro Acosta thinks MotoGP has changed for the worse since Marc Marquez was fighting Valentino Rossi
Pedro Acosta explains why he wanted out of KTM for the upcoming 2026 MotoGP season
In an attempt to break away from his factory team in favour of the Ducati satellite outfit, VR46 Racing, Acosta offered a seven-figure buy-out to KTM at the height of his restlessness with the Austrian constructor.
In an interview with Motorsport.com, the Murcian rider revealed why he was so adamant that he had to move on from the team that gave him a rookie opportunity in the premier class.
He said: “Perhaps I was anxious, but not only because I had doubts about the project, but because I even began to doubt myself.
“Before arriving in MotoGP, I had the best equipment available. That meant I only had to focus on riding. The day I was beaten, it was because I had made a mistake; the day I won, it was because I had done well.
“This year, the problem is that I trusted the bike I had so much that I put all the pressure on myself. And when things started not going as I expected, I blamed myself as well.”
READ MORE: Pedro Acosta has told his manager to get him out of KTM, he has three teams in mind
Pedro Acosta also touched upon how he changed his mentality after learning that an exit wasn’t possible.
In a follow-up question, the 21-year-old was asked how he managed to get himself out of the mindset of thinking it was crucial for him to leave KTM in order to continue with his development of becoming a title challenger.
Acosta replied, “You have to surround yourself with good people; people who open your eyes. Both Albert [Valera], my agent, and everyone around me made me understand that the crashes, for example, were a consequence of trying to go beyond what [the bike] was capable of.
“Races like the one in Australia, where the tyres wore down so quickly, shouldn’t torment you either, because that doesn’t get you anywhere.
“After that, you can be bitter all day because things aren’t going your way. In those moments, it’s important to put things into perspective, focus on what’s within your control, and not take the blame for everything.
“There are goals you won’t achieve, no matter how hard you try, if everything isn’t in the right place. In those moments, it’s important to relax and remember your potential, because that’s what’s easiest to forget.”
Despite not being convinced that he will have the best bit of kit during the 2026 season, Acosta has been tipped to hit the ground running due to a rule change that will see ride-height devices banned.
Acosta requested that KTM remove all devices from his bike at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Apprehensive at first, the team obeyed, and the Murcian ended up matching his career-best result with a second-place finish at Sepang.
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