We’re here once again, folks, talking about the rumors that KTM’s Pedro Acosta is leaving the outfit for greener pastures. Yes, we’ve covered these rumors before as the Austrian MotoGP team just can’t seem to quell them. But, as with everything that’s gone on in KTM-land in recent months, they’re not exactly sending their best.
The most recent denials of said rumors come from team boss Pit Beirer who’s remained steadfast in his denials that the rising superstar is unhappy enough to leave and break his contract. But with Acosta’s manager fueling the fire, as well as the team’s lackluster pre-season development, followed by its middling season—to put it generously—I don’t think anyone is really into believing Beirer’s denials at this point.
I mean, we’ve been here before. We’ve talked about how Beirer has stretched the truth when he told the press that the team was fine, but then it came out that it absolutely wasn’t, and they’re likely leaving the sport. KTM is likely still looking for an interested party to take the team over in 2026.
But the latest denials come on the heels of something that’d give everyone pause. Maverick Vinales, of the supposedly second-tier sister Tech3 KTM team, nearly scored second place in last week’s race in Losail—an illegal tire pressure caused his demotion after the race. That in itself wouldn’t be news last year, as Acosta fought his way to the podium on that very team. But what’s different is that Vinales used last year’s race bike, not this year’s.
And because of that success, albeit momentary, Acosta switched to the 2024 KTM, too. Yeah, this year’s bike is such a mess, Acosta would rather have the supposedly less advanced model.
Woof.
Photo by: Sam Bendall
In recent statements made by Beirer, he calls these rumors “compliments” as he has a rider that everyone wants, but says that Acosta remains under contract. “I think I take it as a compliment and if all these superstars find out now that Pedro is a good rider, we found out many, many years ago. And that’s why we supported him already since he was in the Rookies Cup. So, he’s under contract with us and also there I feel OK and I take it as a compliment,” the team boss told MotoGP.
But rumors have swirled as the team hasn’t managed to give Acosta a bike worthy of his skills, and the sharks are swimming with Ducati, Honda, Pramac, and others supposedly courting the racer. And KTM is, supposedly, doing everything it can to hold onto him, though him choosing to ride last year’s bike over this year’s isn’t great news in that realm.
Now, here’s the rub. Because of homologation rules, Acosta and Vinales, as well as Enea Bastianini and Brad Binder, aren’t strictly allowed to return full to last year’s racer, as aero and engine rules don’t allow for it. But the chassis and braking system are fine, and given KTM wasn’t tipped to change much in the engine department for this year’s bike, the whole package likely isn’t all that different. However, one of the big struggles has been vibration and braking, which revolve mostly around the chassis. Acosta himself told The Race, “I don’t understand. Different settings, four different bikes at the end of the day. I cannot say where it’s [vibration] coming from.”
He added, “At the end, what is clear for me now, every time I jump to last year’s bike, I am faster. I don’t have problems in the brakes, I don’t have to risk crashing every braking. Now it’s clear for this. That’s it.” That’s a pretty damning testament if you ask me. And Beirer’s denials are seemingly only making these rumors seem more real.
We’ll see what happens, but yeah, this silly season is already wildly interesting.
