Pedro Acosta could not hide his frustration. After pushing Marc Marquez to the limit in Aragon, he found himself nowhere near the front at Misano. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider described his team as having "taken steps backwards" and the gap to Ducati and Aprilia as "terrifying".
The sprint race on Saturday painted a grim picture. Starting from seventh—behind even Luca Marini's Honda—Acosta struggled to find rhythm. He clashed with Gresini's Fermin Aldeguer, losing valuable time. He eventually finished sixth, 6.944 seconds behind winner Marquez. That gap equates to over half a second per lap over 13 laps, proving the RC15 is simply not competitive at Misano.
"We have to go over everything with the team. It's been a weekend where we haven't made progress. On the contrary, we've taken steps backwards," Acosta admitted. "We're struggling in areas that are our only strengths. Braking, which is normally where we're strong, is now a problem. All of us on KTMs are in a similar situation."
The technical issues are real. Acosta explained that the bike that was stable last year now moves around a lot more, and braking performance has vanished. "In sections where the bike was stable last year, this year it's moving around a lot more. On top of that, there are braking issues. So we have to be happy with sixth place. It was either that or wrecking the bike in the gravel," he added bitterly.
The impact on the championship is clear. Despite scoring points, Acosta knows his top-five position is under threat. "I have to keep picking up points. I'm close to fifth place again. I have to keep going like this," he said. He is also pessimistic about scoring a maiden win with KTM before his contract ends. "I hope we can win, but if we keep up this pace, it's going to be tough. The Ducatis and Aprilias here are absolutely terrifying."
The incident with Aldeguer on lap 3 complicated things. The Gresini rider tried a move, but contact was made, dropping Acosta to seventh behind both Aldeguer and Alex Marquez. He quickly regained sixth, but the battle cost him time. "We both lost time in a fight I didn't think was necessary," he said, though he held no grudge.
What's more worrying is that KTM's struggles are not isolated to Acosta. He mentioned that all KTM riders are facing similar issues, indicating a fundamental problem with the bike package. With a long season ahead, KTM must find answers quickly. Otherwise, the gap to Ducati and Aprilia will only grow, and Acosta's victory hopes will fade.
For KTM fans, the Misano weekend was a slap in the face. But Acosta still showed his class by bringing home points. Now, all eyes are on the Austrian manufacturer: can they bounce back before the 2026 season truly ends? KTM has a mountain to climb.
Baca Juga
Luca Marini mengungkap perbedaan strategi ban antara Honda dan pabrikan lain di Sprint MotoGP Misano 2026. Simak analisis lengkapnya.
Marc Marquez memenangi sprint MotoGP Misano 2026 dengan strategi ban medium, sementara Bagnaia dan Quartararo gagal finis. Simak analisis lengkapnya.
Pedro Acosta sebut KTM mundur di MotoGP Misano 2026, jarak ke Ducati dan Aprilia mengerikan. Simak analisis lengkap dan dampaknya bagi klasemen.
Lanjutkan dengan Google
Diskusi & Komentar (0)
Mari Bergabung dalam Diskusi!
Masuk dengan mudah untuk mulai memberikan komentar, membalas, dan berinteraksi dengan pembaca lainnya.
Komentar Terbaru
Belum ada komentar. Jadilah yang pertama!