Pedro Acosta has admitted he wasn’t ready to join Ducati for the 2026 MotoGP season—even though the option was there—due to the lingering “frustration” from his KTM stint.
Acosta, who will line up alongside Marc Marquez at the factory Ducati team in one of 2027’s marquee moves, revealed he could have switched earlier after talks with VR46 during a tough 2025 campaign. Ultimately, Acosta honored his KTM contract, picking up his maiden MotoGP victory in Austria.
“Maybe I would have gotten on the bike [in 2026], but with all the frustration I was carrying, I wouldn’t have done well,” Acosta told AS. “So, this opportunity came along when I was ready, after getting through that difficult period last year.”
The Spaniard believes that fighting through adversity with KTM made him more prepared for the Ducati challenge ahead. He now views the next two years with Marquez as a crucial learning opportunity before the seven-time champion retires.
“This is the last chance—a young rider will have to learn from him before he retires. My main goal will be to understand the team and how they work, since I know nothing about how Ducati operates.”
Acosta is determined to adapt quickly and absorb as much as possible from Marquez and the Ducati garage, setting the stage for an exciting new chapter in his MotoGP career.
