Jorge Lorenzo names MotoGP rider who would be “scary” on a Ducati

Three-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo says Pedro Acosta would be “scary” on a Ducati but has also noticed flaws in the KTM’s rider’s style.

The 21-year-old has been the MotoGP paddock’s hottest property since he began grand prix racing in 2021 in Moto3.

Winning the Moto3 title in his debut year and adding a Moto2 crown to his scorecard in 2023, he enjoyed a strong debut MotoGP campaign last year with KTM where he scored nine total podiums.

The 2025 season has been much harder for Pedro Acosta, with uncompetitive KTM machinery allowing him to score just one grand prix podium inside the first 12 rounds.

KTM’s drop in form led to months of speculation over Acosta’s future, with the Spaniard linked to a VR46 Ducati move and a factory Honda seat for 2026 despite being contracted to his current paymasters until the end of next season.

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Jorge Lorenzo, on Andrea Migno’s Mig Babol podcast, believes Acosta on a Ducati would lead to the same results as Marc Marquez currently.

“Of the riders I like for the future, the one I like most is Acosta,” Lorenzo, who won three grands prix on a Ducati in 2018, said.

“In my opinion, on a Ducati he would have been scary, like Marquez.

“He's very young, very strong, proven anyway because above all he has the grit and the hunger to win right away as soon as possible.

“He's not happy, if he's second, he's third.

“Only now with the KTM it's a bit difficult, and it's difficult for him to win so many races.”

Lorenzo did offer some criticism for Acosta, however, noting that his riding style is “a bit extreme” in occasions where it doesn’t need to be.

“The only thing I see is that he's a bit extreme in his entry into the corners, super tight, which is an advantage in certain circumstances,” he added.

“He really manages to close the corner with incredible form, but in my opinion he's a bit too exaggerated in certain corners.

“If he goes somewhere in between in certain corners, he'll become a slightly more complete rider again.”