“No pressure” - Pedro Acosta’s approach for new Ducati MotoGP chapter with Marc Marquez

Pedro Acosta insists he feels “no pressure” ahead of his move to the factory Ducati MotoGP team in 2027.

The current Red Bull KTM star will be the first rider to join the factory Ducati team directly, without racing for a satellite Ducati squad, since Jorge Lorenzo in 2017.

Even Acosta’s future team-mate and reigning nine-time world champion Marc Marquez spent a season at Gresini before being promoted to the official team.

After spending his entire world championship career with KTM, where he took a maiden Sprint victory at this year’s Buriram season opener and has scored 13 grand prix podiums, Acosta acknowledges the Ducati move will be “ a new chapter”.

However, the 11-year age difference to Marquez, together with a multi-year Ducati contract, means the Spaniard views 2027, which also marks the start of the new 850cc/Pirelli era, as a chance to “get in the rhythm”.

“I have no idea what I will find in the box, to be honest. But on the other hand, I have also no pressure,” Acosta told Motorsport.com.

“Marc is at the end of his career, I'm just in the beginning of mine.

“Also, he knows everyone in the team, and I will need a bit of time to get in the rhythm of the ‘Italian box’, I will say, because I’ve been in KTM for six years. I’ve known everyone since I was 16.

“Now will be really a new chapter of my life.

“I have no pressure, also thankfully, [because] I will be there minimum for two seasons.

“For this, I will have time the first one to get the rhythm and then see what happen in the second one.”

Acosta is currently seventh in the world championship standings, but with almost double the points of the next-best KTM rider, Enea Bastianini.

Marquez and Ducati are fourth in the standings behind Aprilia riders Jorge Martin, Marco Bezzecchi and Ai Ogura.