Pedro Acosta is preparing for one of the biggest moves of his young MotoGP career as the 22-year-old Spaniard gets ready to leave KTM and join Ducati, where he will become teammates with eight-time world champion Marc Márquez.
The move marks the end of Acosta's six-year association with KTM, a partnership that helped him rise through the ranks and establish himself as one of the sport's brightest young talents. He won the Moto3 world title in 2021 before adding the Moto2 championship in 2023, but his long-term goal of becoming a MotoGP champion with KTM remained out of reach.
Despite producing 13 podiums, two pole positions and three fastest laps during his first two and a half seasons in MotoGP, Acosta is still searching for his maiden premier-class victory. His decision to join Ducati reflects his belief that the reigning benchmark in MotoGP can give him a stronger opportunity to fight for the championship.
Acosta is expected to begin his Ducati adventure with his first test on December 1, marking the start of a major new phase in his career.
His arrival will also create one of the most intriguing rider pairings on the MotoGP grid. At Ducati, Acosta will share the garage with Márquez, a rider who has already built a legendary career and established himself within the factory team.
Source: Racetrackmasters
Acosta has acknowledged the contrast between their positions, describing Márquez as being in the final stage of his career while he is only beginning his own. Rather than seeing the partnership as a source of pressure, however, the young Spaniard appears eager to learn from one of the most successful riders in MotoGP history.
The switch will also require Acosta to adapt to a completely different working environment after years with KTM. Learning the Ducati Desmosedici, understanding the team's methods and building new relationships will all be part of the challenge.
Acosta insists he is not feeling additional pressure ahead of the move and believes the transition should be viewed as a long-term project rather than an immediate test of his ability. His two-year contract with Ducati gives him time to settle into the team during his first season before turning his attention to bigger targets in the second.
"I'll have time to find my rhythm in the first year and see what happens in the second," Acosta said.
Currently seventh in the championship standings, behind Jorge Martin and his future teammate Márquez, Acosta still has plenty to prove in the premier class. However, Ducati's decision to bring him into its factory project shows the level of confidence the manufacturer has in his potential.
For Acosta, the move represents a fresh opportunity to turn his considerable talent into MotoGP success. He has also expressed his gratitude to Ducati for believing in him despite the fact that he is yet to win a premier-class race.
The partnership now gives Acosta two valuable ingredients for his next step: a proven championship-winning machine and the chance to work alongside one of MotoGP's greatest riders. Whether that combination can finally put him on the path to his first MotoGP victory, and eventually the title he has been chasing, will be one of the major storylines to watch.
