2026 KTM MotoGP bike “built from zero” after “spin-off” 2025

KTM’s 2026 MotoGP bike has been “built from zero”, according to Pedro Acosta, as the Austrian brand looks to end its three-season victory drought.

KTM hasn’t won a premier class grand prix since 2022, with its drought extending across a mixed year for the marque last year.

It made very little progress with its RC16 in the off-season, with its situation not helped by the financial crisis that enveloped the parent company that winter.

It wasn’t until the second half of 2025 that it became a consistent podium contender with Pedro Acosta, after the RC16 received some significant updates.

KTM has “a lot of big items” to try in testing

During online press conferences to mark KTM’s 2026 livery launch on Tuesday, Acosta noted that his visit to the marque’s factory in the winter offered him renewed optimism for the season ahead.

When asked by Crash.net what he had seen specifically that boosted his confidence, Acosta replied: “Well, basically, at the end, last year we went to Malaysia with some updates to my 2024 bike.

“But it was not really anything new, let’s say, until mid-season.

“And this year I see a big step. Maybe not completely, but I feel like it’s a completely new bike, built from zero.

“And this makes you super confident.

“It’s true that the general situation in the factory is not the same as it was one year ago.

“You can see that in the face of the people, everyone is more calm and confident. This makes you believe, let’s say.”

Team-mate Brad Binder referred to the 2025 bike as a “spin-off” of its predecessor, but revealed that KTM has “a lot more big items” to test this winter.

“Well, I think, for sure, going into this time last season, we definitely had a lot less things to try,” he said in response to a question from Crash.

“There’s definitely a lot more big items and a lot more things to try when we arrive in Malaysia.

“I would say last year was very much a spin-off of our bike from the previous year.

“But I think this year, at the moment, we have more fresh items to try.

“And already, in Valencia, we saw some small improvements.

“So, I’m pretty sure that after this off-season, we’re ready and we’re going to be in a position to make a step forward.”