Pedro Acosta’s rise at KTM has not only been driven by his speed. The Spaniard’s distinctive riding style has become a reference point within the Austrian manufacturer, with his teammates struggling to extract the same level of performance from the RC16.
Since making his MotoGP debut, Acosta has consistently found ways to push the KTM further than its other riders. His breakthrough victory at KTM’s home round in Spielberg underlined his progress, while a series of podium finishes throughout the season has established him as the manufacturer’s leading performer.
Acosta has also shown impressive consistency across sprint and Grand Prix races. He claimed a sprint victory and second place in Thailand, followed by a third-place Grand Prix finish in Austin. He added sprint podiums in Barcelona and Hungary, as well as Grand Prix podiums in Hungary, Aragon and Misano.
For KTM technical director Sebastian Risse, the difference is not simply down to raw speed. Acosta has developed a riding style that allows him to exploit areas of the RC16 that other riders have found difficult to access.
"Pedro has traditionally had quite a special riding style," Risse explained.
One of Acosta’s biggest strengths is his ability to brake extremely hard and late while maintaining contact with the rear wheel. He also tends to turn into corners earlier than most riders, using tighter lines to rotate the bike and attack corners without sacrificing too much speed on the exit.
That approach goes against some conventional riding principles, but Acosta has learned to control it more effectively as his MotoGP experience has grown.
Risse said Acosta’s riding has become significantly smoother and more controlled, allowing him to choose when to use his aggressive approach rather than relying on it throughout an entire lap.
Acosta himself has acknowledged the change.
"It is true that my lines are still a bit tighter than the others', but not as extreme as they once were," he said.
The Spaniard believes learning to ride with greater composure has been an important part of his improvement, and that development has helped turn his natural aggression into a more complete package.
Source: Sportrik
However, Acosta’s success has also highlighted the difficulties faced by his KTM teammates.
Brad Binder, who had previously been KTM’s established benchmark, has struggled to match Acosta’s pace. His strongest results this season include fourth in the Jerez sprint and sixth in the Spielberg Grand Prix.
Risse suggested that Binder can produce competitive sector times, but has found it difficult to put together a complete lap at the same level. That has particularly hurt his qualifying performances, leaving him with more work to do during races.
The challenge has forced Binder to work on adapting his riding style and improving his connection with the motorcycle.
According to Risse, other KTM riders can see what Acosta is doing and understand that his approach appears to be an important part of extracting maximum performance from the RC16. The problem is that simply copying his technique does not necessarily produce the same results.
Binder’s situation is particularly notable given how effective his own style once was. In 2023, he emerged as KTM’s leading rider, taking two sprint victories and five Grand Prix podiums.
Since then, developments in MotoGP tyres, motorcycles and riding techniques have changed the demands placed on riders. Binder has found himself in the difficult position of knowing what he needs to change to become faster, while those changes do not always play naturally to his strengths.
Enea Bastianini has faced a similar challenge at Tech3. His best individual result this season has been third in the Austin sprint, while he has also recorded two sixth-place Grand Prix finishes.
Acosta’s departure will add another layer to KTM’s challenge. The Spaniard is set to move to Ducati for 2027, while Binder will leave MotoGP for the Superbike World Championship with BMW.
KTM is expected to begin the 2027 MotoGP season with Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio as its factory riders.
Acosta’s time with KTM may ultimately prove relatively short, but his influence on the RC16 has already been significant. His results have given the manufacturer a clearer picture of what the bike can achieve, while his riding style has provided engineers and riders with a new reference point.
The bigger challenge for KTM now will be turning that knowledge into something that can be carried forward after Acosta leaves. His ability to make the RC16 work in a way that few others have managed has become one of the defining stories of KTM’s recent MotoGP campaign.
