Pedro Acosta makes surprise Ducati claim ahead of 2027 MotoGP switch

Pedro Acosta has surprisingly claimed he “wouldn’t have done well” on a Ducati MotoGP in 2026 had he joined VR46, due to the “frustration I was carrying” at KTM.

The one-time MotoGP race winner will join the factory Ducati squad from next season alongside Marc Marquez in one of the blockbuster moves of the 2027 rider market.

But Acosta had an opportunity to join the Ducati ranks this year already, after holding talks about a potential move to VR46 during a difficult 2025 campaign with KTM.

The Spaniard ultimately committed to the final year of his KTM contract and scored his first win in Austria earlier this season.

“This opportunity came along when I was ready”

Acosta is expected to fight for the world championship in 2027 and become the toughest team-mate Marquez has ever faced.

Curiously, however, Acosta doesn’t feel he was ready to go toe-to-toe with Marquez on the same machinery this season.

Speaking in an interview with AS, Acosta said: “Things turned out the way they did.

“Maybe I would have gotten on the bike, but with all the frustration I was carrying, I wouldn’t have done well.

“So, this opportunity came along when I was ready, especially after getting through that difficult period last year when I was feeling frustrated.

“I started getting results, performing well, and making a difference compared to the other riders on my own brand.

“I think that’s when I realised I was ready to take on a challenge like this.”

“This is the last chance to learn from Marquez”

Acosta views the next two years as a pivotal moment in his career to learn from Marquez before the seven-time world champion retires.

“This is the last chance - or one of the last- a young rider will have to learn from him before he retires.

“My main goal will be to understand how the team works, how they operate there, because after six years at KTM, I have a clear understanding of how KTM works, but I know nothing about how things will go there.

“So first of all, I’ll have to adapt and then see if I can gradually learn something from Marc.”