Pedro Acosta Austrian MotoGP win “perfect way” to finish KTM “story”

Pedro Acosta says a win at the Austrian MotoGP this weekend would be the “perfect way” for him to finish his time with KTM.

Acosta remains winless in MotoGP halfway through his third year, while KTM is without a victory since Thailand at the end of 2022. 

In the dry, the winless streak extends back to Barcelona 2021, while the RC16’s most famous victory – delivered by Brad Binder – came at the Red Bull Ring a few weeks after that Catalunya win when Binder braved a wet final two laps on slick tyres.

Speaking ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, KTM test rider Pol Espargaro said that this weekend will be a good chance for Acosta – who was fourth in last year’s full-distance Austrian race and third in the Sprint – to win his first premier class grand prix and the first for KTM in almost four years.

“Let’s see if also the weather helps us a bit,” Pedro Acosta said when Espargaro’s prediction was put to him in the pre-event press conference.

“It’s true that we are also coming in a good mood, the last couple of races were quite good for us and it’s just a matter to see how the bike is working tomorrow. 

“At the end, looks like we are making a step – for this, let’s see what’s going on.”

Indeed, for long-time KTM man Acosta a Red Bull Ring victory would be a perfect way to sign-off from the Austrian manufacturer before heading to Ducati in 2027.

“Will be the best way to finish a circle,” he said. “At the end, I was in KTM since I was 16, I know everyone since I was a kid and will be the perfect way to finish a story, knowing that we are far from fighting for the championship with these two [Marquez and Martin]. 

“For this, if we get a victory here it will be a dream come true and the best way to finish a story.”

Acosta, though, is looking at the weekend with realism: Ducati and Aprilia remain faster than KTM at the moment.

“We cannot think about the victory at the moment,” he said.

“It’s true that it’s our home GP, but at the moment Ducati is one step forward than us, also Aprilia. 

“You only have to see how competitive was Marco [Bezzecchi] last year also, and normally Ducati – not only Marc [Marquez] – is working okay here. For this, at the moment we are still far.”

Acosta is also not expecting any major performance step on the RC16 for this weekend to try to chase that elusive first premier class win.

“Looks like not any new crazy things that can really make us make a step,” he admitted.

“But we arrive here in a good mood; last year was really good races here with Sprint podium and P4 in the main race. For this, let’s see.”