Once again, speculation that Pedro Acosta could leave KTM for Ducati is rife – He himself dismisses it, and VR46 also wants nothing to do with it at the moment
The speculation that Pedro Acosta could leave KTM does not stop. Especially since the RC16 is currently not capable of beating Ducati on its own. That is why the Spaniard is repeatedly linked to a move to the Italian MotoGP camp.
During the Argentinean race weekend, these speculations were recently fueled by a report in the Spanish AS. Because Acosta’s manager Albert Valera states that remaining with KTM depends on the performance of the RC16.
“We hope that KTM is doing very well and that we can stay for many years. But that depends on KTM,” says Valera, who nevertheless emphasizes: ‘Pedro is committed to the brand, and his goal is to win world championship titles with KTM.’
Of the six Ducati riders, five are also under contract for the 2026 season. Only Franco Morbidelli has a one-year contract with the VR46 team. Therefore, that would be the only theoretically available spot for the coming year.
But when asked about the speculation, Acosta waves it aside: “I mean, I have a contract for 2025 and 2026, so I don’t need to look at anything else. I just want to continue to be competitive.”
“All the manufacturers are improving. We are getting closer to Ducati. That’s what I need. It’s about being happy in life. We have to keep working. I mean, it’s only the second race,” he says, refusing to be drawn into speculation. ‘Come on, guys!’
The VR46 team also doesn’t want to talk about it at the moment. ‘Every year, people start talking about the future earlier,’ team manager Pablo Nieto shakes his head at MotoGP.com. ”But we’re only at the second race.”
“It’s difficult to talk about it at the moment. We have to try to focus on our riders. I think we can do a very good job, but we also know that Pedro is an outstanding rider. He’s a fantastic rider and everyone wants him.”
Postscript from Nieto: ”Let’s wait and see.” VR46 ultimately enjoyed a successful weekend in Argentina, with Morbidelli claiming his first podium finish in four years, and Fabio Di Giannantonio finishing just off the podium in fifth.
Whether VR46 will develop a long-term interest in Acosta remains to be seen. The Spaniard himself has only one thing in mind: victories and the world championship title.
