Marc Marquez faces a new kind of challenge in 2027 as Pedro Acosta’s KTM crew chief, Paul Trevathan, warns that the young Spaniard will bring a level of competition Marquez has never experienced from a teammate. With Acosta set to move to Ducati and likely pair up with one of the existing crew chiefs—possibly Christian Gabbarini—Trevathan believes the dynamic at the Ducati Lenovo Team will be explosive.
“It’s a massive challenge,” Trevathan told TNT Sports after Acosta claimed his first MotoGP victory in Austria. “The fight starts already in the box. Marc’s been the best at getting under the skin of his team-mates and getting the company built around him. But he’s never had anybody like Acosta next to him, either.”
Trevathan highlighted Acosta’s mindset: “It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about trying. If [Marquez] beats him [Acosta] on the same bike, then he can walk away saying ‘Okay, the guy’s better’. But Pedro really wants to put himself in that position to try.”
While Marquez is a nine-time world champion known for his ruthless intra-team battles, Trevathan insists Acosta brings a different energy: “Marc is a fantastic champion, a fantastic rider… But I don’t think he’s really had a character, a monster next to him like Pedro. It will be fireworks for you guys, I tell you.”
Acosta’s breakthrough win only adds to the anticipation for the 2027 season, when MotoGP’s most exciting generational showdown is set to ignite inside the Ducati garage.
