Pedro Acosta tipped to have same effect on Marc Marquez that Jorge Lorenzo had on Valentino Rossi

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Livio Suppo thinks KTM’s Pedro Acosta joining Ducati in 2027 might “rejuvenate” Marc Marquez like Jorge Lorenzo extended Valentino Rossi’s career when he joined Yamaha.

Acosta is widely expected to leave KTM when his contract expires and join Ducati to partner with Marquez at the start of the 2027 MotoGP regulations. Marquez is also due to be out of contract at the close of 2026, but he is expected to eventually agree a new deal with Ducati.

Marquez is pushing Ducati for a 1+1-year contract, as he does not want to lock himself down through 2028 like the Bologna Bullets prefer when next season marks the start of a new era. The 33-year-old is also still recovering from the shoulder injury that he suffered last October.

Seven-time premier class champion Marquez asking Ducati for more time before signing his new contract, along with the five constructors having not yet agreed to their new collective contract with MotoGP, has delayed the Borgo Panigale natives announcing Acosta’s transfer.

Finish the sentence: Pedro Acosta will win ___ MotoGP championships in his career

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Pedro Acosta can bring out Marc Marquez’s ‘fighting spirit’ like Jorge Lorenzo did with Valentino Rossi

It is widely believed that Acosta has agreed to leave KTM for Ducati on an initial two-season contract from 2027, replacing Francesco Bagnaia at the Italian factory. Acosta believes being Marquez’s teammate would be a “dream”, yet some speculate that the feeling is not mutual.

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

Lorenzo questions whether Marquez and Acosta will be a “dream team”, but Suppo does not see any reasons why Marquez should fear his Spanish compatriot joining Ducati. Instead, he says Acosta can actually motivate Marquez by bringing out the 33-year-old’s “fighting spirit”.

Suppo told GPOne: “It is more like when Yamaha put Lorenzo alongside Valentino. [Rossi did not take it well], but Jorge extended his career – he won two more world championships.

“It would be a motivator for a strong rider like Marquez, who is clearly a top-tier rider just as Valentino was.

“Having a young, super-fast rider alongside you rejuvenates you, because it brings out that fighting spirit that, perhaps, you’ve lost a bit over the years. I don’t see how Marc could get upset about something like that – quite the opposite.”

Yamaha gave Lorenzo his MotoGP debut immediately with their factory team in 2008, after fearing that Rossi could switch to Formula 1 after testing with Ferrari. The Iwata natives felt Lorenzo, having won back-to-back 250cc titles, could take over from Rossi if the Italian quit.

In the end, Rossi did not move to F1 and he won the final two of his seven MotoGP titles in 2008 and 2009. Lorenzo then won the first of his three MotoGP titles in 2010, yet Yamaha’s inability to manage their rival ultimately saw Rossi switch to Ducati for the 2011 campaign.

Yamaha even had to erect a wall to divide their garage in 2010 owing to the deterioration of Rossi and Lorenzo’s relationship. Rossi re-joined Yamaha in 2013, and also eventually stayed with the team until he moved to satellite squad Petronas SRT for his final campaign in 2021.