Marco Bezzecchi
Pedro Acosta has been surpassing expectations ever since he joined the premier class with KTM in 2024, and former MotoGP rider Nobuatsu Aoki believes he now possesses the best ‘braking technique’ on the grid.
After ending the season in a purple patch that saw him snatch P4 in the riders’ standings at the final round of the campaign, Pedro Acosta picked up right where he left off in the 2026 MotoGP season-opener.
The KTM flag-bearer saw the chequered flag first for the very first time in his career during the Sprint, and left no stone unturned as he hunted down Raul Fernandez to take P2 in the Grand Prix.
Acosta ended the race weekend as the championship leader, and while he isn’t expected to remain there for the rest of the season, he’s certainly showing signs of being able to take the fight to Marc Marquez if need be.
- READ MORE: Neil Hodgson says Pedro Acosta just replicated Valentino Rossi’s ‘dark arts’ at Thailand Grand Prix
Will Pedro Acosta reach the same heights in MotoGP as Marc Marquez?
Nobuatsu Aoki thinks Pedro Acosta now has ‘the best braking technique’ on the MotoGP grid
During an interview with Moto.it following the conclusion of the Thailand Grand Prix, former MotoGP rider Nobuatsu Aoki was asked for his thoughts on the landscape of the title fight this year.
The Gunma-native identified Marquez as the “strongest in terms of pure riding ability”, while noting that his younger brother, Alex Marquez, is still “in the fight” alongside the current championship leader, Marco Bezzecchi.
Aoki then switched his attention to Acosta, adding, “Acosta is sometimes the best; he has the best braking technique on the grid.
“Unfortunately, it all depends on the performance of the rear tyre: the RC16 is very nervous in this area.”
Engineers in Mattighofen were hard at work over the winter break to address the issues that Acosta had with last year’s spec of RC16, which have seemingly been fixed from the little running we have had so far this season.
Despite there still being a clear gap to Ducati and Aprilia’s prototypes, Acosta acknowledged his happiness over the fact that KTM have managed to reduce the effects of tyre degradation in the 2026 version of their bike.
- READ MORE: Danilo Petrucci recalls being in awe of Marc Marquez after incredible MotoGP near-miss moment
Was Marc Marquez’s dig at Pedro Acosta really necessary?
Acosta told reporters in Thailand that 'it wasn't a one-day [championship] lead like Marc said'.
Marc Marquez has been widely regarded as the best MotoGP rider in the braking zone
Braking is something that Marquez has been widely regarded as the benchmark for on the MotoGP grid in recent years.
MotoGP engineers have been trying to develop a device to replicate Marquez’s incredible prowess in the area for years, to no avail.
According to premier class expert Mat Oxley, ‘no one’ is able to match Marquez when it comes to maximising corner entry, which sets him apart from the rest of the grid.
This is just the latest in a long string of comparisons that have been made between the two Spaniards ahead of Pedro Acosta’s expected Ducati move in 2027.
On equal machinery, it will be the perfect time to assess how the 21-year-old ranks against Marquez’s impressive record.
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