Beirer determined to keep Acosta in KTM amid Ducati links
Pedro Acosta may not have signed a contract with Ducati, despite speculation linking him to the seat currently occupied by Francesco Bagnaia for the 2027 MotoGP season.
The Spaniard produced another impressive performance at the Circuit of The Americas. Despite dropping from third to eighth due to a tyre pressure penalty, he still managed a podium finish in the Grand Prix.
KTM boss heaps praise on Pedro Acosta as they make a final push to keep him
Teams are still in the middle of sorting out their commercial agreement for the 2027-2031 cycle, which may be why rider deals are taking longer than expected. For now, there’s nothing official keeping them in the championship beyond this current period.
Acosta has picked up 60 points from just three rounds so far this season, putting him third in the standings. The other three KTM riders have combined for just 39 points – a gap that highlights how much the team leans on Acosta.
Even factoring in Maverick Vinales’ injury issues, it’s clear that Acosta is carrying a heavy load for KTM right now.
“He is such a fantastic rider,” he said. “It looks like our bike has a very narrow window. When it’s working well, you can go for a win, then the next days are difficult”, Beirer told TNT Sports.
“He’s just giving it all every single day. He made us better; he pushed to give him a better bike.
“For sure, I don’t like to see him talking to other people. But it’s clear that the whole paddock, every manufacturer would make him a proposal, but we want to fight to keep him. We’re going to go all-in, whatever comes. ’26, we’re going to make it our year.”
Francesco Bagnaia has already dealt some bad news to Pit Beirer and KTM
It came out over the Austin weekend that Bagnaia has finalised his move to Aprilia, leaving Ducati behind. This makes it even more likely that Acosta’s move is just waiting to be announced.
Even though Acosta currently leads all Ducatis in the standings, he’s still KTM’s only rider inside the top 10. Meanwhile, Ducati have four riders in that group, highlighting the difference in machinery.
Acosta has spoken about what it would mean to share a team with Marquez, saying most riders would jump at the chance. Unfortunately for Beirer and KTM, it now looks like that pairing will become a reality in 2027.
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