Pedro Acosta is determined to reach the top of MotoGP, and he’s not shy about wanting to go head-to-head with Marc Marquez to get there.
Before his move up to MotoGP, Acosta didn’t like being labelled as ‘the next Marquez’. The Spaniard was already carrying a lot of expectations, with many predicting he would become the sport’s next big name.
With KTM, Acosta finished sixth in his rookie year in 2024 and followed that up with a fourth-place finish last season. He collected 12 podiums along the way but still hasn’t secured his first MotoGP win. That lack of a victory led him to make a move for 2027.
Ducati appear ready to fast-track him into their factory lineup. Jorge Lorenzo was surprised that Marquez didn’t step in to prevent the move, especially since Acosta is seen by many as his eventual successor.
However, journalist Mela Chercoles pointed out that Acosta had already set his sights on being alongside Marquez in 2027, no matter what bike or team it happened with.
Pedro Acosta prepared to follow Marquez in 2027 regardless of team
Mela Chercoles told Motociclismo that Acosta would have signed with whichever team Marquez chose for 2027, purely to compete against him on equal terms.
“I’ll tell you one thing. Pedro Acosta, and I know this for a fact, would have gone to whichever team Marc Marquez had gone to,” he said.
“In other words, if Marc had decided to leave Ducati for Honda, he would have signed with Honda to have the same weapons as the best rider of the moment, perhaps in history for many.
“And he tells me that if Marc Marquez had decided to go to KTM, Acosta would have stayed at KTM. I mean, I’m convinced of that, I know it for a fact.
“He wants to measure himself as an equal with Marc Marquez, as Jorge Lorenzo did with Valentino Rossi at Yamaha. I mean, Jorge Lorenzo’s great pride — he has five titles now and three in MotoGP — is having beaten Valentino Rossi with his own weapons.”
“Even better because Acosta wants the same thing. He wants to really know where he stands compared to Marc. He’s not saying that he’s going to win but he wants the equipment and believe that it’s possible,” Chercoles continued.
Acosta’s determination mirrors what Lorenzo achieved against Rossi, where beating him on equal terms was seen as a significant achievement beyond just titles.
How Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta nearly ended up together at KTM and Honda
Ducati’s 2027 line-up has been in the works in MotoGP for some time. Acosta and Marquez were targeted by KTM back in 2024 as they planned to have them in a third team, but Dorna blocked the move.
Acosta’s mindset is clear – he wants to be where Marquez is. With that approach, he would have followed him wherever he went, and the Spaniard had several offers on the table.
Both riders spoke with Honda over a potential deal for 2027. However, the Japanese manufacturer decided to sign Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo instead.
Marquez was also approached by KTM, which could have given Acosta an incentive to remain with Austria. But instead, they’re both heading to Ducati next year.
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