Pedro Acosta says KTM teammate Brad Binder has made him a better MotoGP rider

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Pedro Acosta’s battle with Brad Binder at KTM was markedly one-sided in 2025. Acosta beat Binder in every single qualifying session.

This was the only single-lap head-to-head that ended 22-0. And alarmingly for Binder, Acosta says qualifying isn’t his ‘greatest strength’ despite completing the clean sweep.

In the races, it wasn’t much prettier for the South African. Looking at the 30 events where both riders reached the chequered flag, Acosta prevailed 26-4.

This contributed to an enormous gap in the standings, with Acosta finishing fourth on 307 points and Binder placing 11th on 155.

Pedro Acosta says Brad Binder has ‘taught him a lot’

Last year, it was a different story. Binder outscored Acosta, who spent his rookie season at Tech3, by two points.

Binder finished in the points at 17 Grands Prix, while Acosta, who crashed more than any other rider, only did so 14 times.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Acosta said that Binder played an important role in his development. With more than 100 premier-class starts under his belt, the 30-year-old has been with KTM for more than a decade.

• READ MORE: Dani Pedrosa knows why Pedro Acosta has such a big advantage over Brad Binder at KTM

“I’ve learned a lot from the KTM guys because I’ve been linked to them since my first year in Moto3,” Acosta said.

“Brad taught me a lot last year because he was faster than me. This helped make me the rider I am today.”

Dani Pedrosa helps Pedro Acosta ‘see racing differently’

In addition to working with Binder, Acosta has been able to call upon Dani Pedrosa, one of MotoGP’s greatest-ever riders. While Pedrosa no longer makes wildcard appearances for KTM, he remains active as a test rider.

Acosta says he has regular conversations with Marc Marquez’s former teammate, who has changed his view of racing.

“I take inspiration from Dani Pedrosa,” he revealed. “He has a lot of experience.

“He’s one of the last riders to have ridden two-strokes. So I think he allows me to see racing differently. We talk often.”

Pedrosa has hailed the ‘maturity’ of Acosta, who has ascended to another level in his second season – one that neither Binder nor the KTM satellite riders can match.