Pedro Acosta: KTM’s 2026 MotoGP Bike “Built from Zero”

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - KTM rider Pedro Acosta says the Austrian manufacturer’s 2026 MotoGP bike has been “built from zero”, as the brand looks to end a three-season drought without a premier-class grand prix victory.

KTM has not won a MotoGP race since 2022, with its winless run extending through a turbulent period for the marque. The 2025 season proved especially challenging, as limited off-season progress with the RC16 was compounded by a financial crisis that affected KTM’s parent company during the winter, slowing development momentum and undermining early-season competitiveness.

It was not until the second half of the 2025 campaign that KTM began to emerge as a consistent podium contender, largely through the performances of Pedro Acosta. Significant updates introduced mid-season allowed the RC16 to take a step forward, but the gains were not sufficient to deliver a long-awaited return to the top step of the podium.

Renewed Optimism from the KTM Factory

Speaking during online press conferences marking KTM’s 2026 MotoGP livery launch, Acosta explained that a winter visit to the KTM factory fundamentally changed his outlook for the upcoming season. Asked by Crash.net what he had seen that boosted his confidence, Acosta pointed to the scale of change behind the scenes.

“Basically, at the end of last year we went to Malaysia with some updates to my 2024 bike,” Acosta said.

“But it was not really anything new, let’s say, until mid-season.”

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“This year I see a big step. Maybe not completely, but I feel like it’s a completely new bike, built from zero.”

“And this makes you super confident.”

Acosta’s comments suggest a decisive shift in KTM’s technical philosophy. Rather than continuing with incremental evolution of the existing RC16 platform, the manufacturer has opted for a more fundamental rethink for 2026. For Acosta, that approach signals a renewed commitment to breaking out of KTM’s recent competitive plateau.

He also highlighted a noticeable change in atmosphere within the factory compared to a year earlier.

“It’s true that the general situation in the factory is not the same as it was one year ago,” he added.

“You can see that in the faces of the people. Everyone is more calm and confident. This makes you believe.”

Financial Turmoil and a Change in Direction

The financial instability that surrounded KTM during the previous winter played a significant role in limiting RC16 development heading into 2025. Uncertainty within the wider organisation restricted long-term planning and reduced KTM’s ability to respond quickly to rivals’ progress in MotoGP.

With the situation now stabilised, KTM appears to have reset its technical roadmap. The 2026 project places greater emphasis on long-term competitiveness, with Acosta positioned as the centrepiece of the manufacturer’s sporting strategy. His adaptability and feedback are expected to play a key role in accelerating KTM’s development curve.

Brad Binder: “More Big Items” to Test

Acosta’s team-mate Brad Binder offered further insight into the scale of KTM’s winter work, describing the 2025 bike as largely a continuation of the previous year’s concept.

“I think for sure, going into this time last season, we definitely had a lot less things to try,” Binder said.

“There’s definitely a lot more big items and a lot more things to try when we arrive in Malaysia.”

“Last year was very much a spin-off of our bike from the previous year.”

“But this year, at the moment, we have more fresh items to try.”

Binder also pointed to early signs of progress during post-season testing.

“Already in Valencia, we saw some small improvements.”

“So I’m pretty sure that after this off-season, we’re ready and we’re going to be in a position to make a step forward.”

Malaysia Test to Provide First Answers

KTM’s claims of a fresh start will face their first real examination at the upcoming Malaysia pre-season test, where the RC16 2026 package will be evaluated under representative conditions. With “a lot of big items” scheduled for testing, the focus will extend beyond headline lap times to include race consistency, tyre management, and adaptability across different track conditions.

For Acosta and Binder, the priority will be confirming whether the new bike offers a stable baseline capable of sustained development throughout the season. Should the progress seen in late 2025 carry over into 2026, KTM could finally position itself to end its prolonged victory drought and re-establish itself as a regular front-runner in MotoGP.