MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Pedro Acosta and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing identified a critical weakness in their MotoGP package during the 2026 Brazil MotoGP in Goiania, with top speed emerging as the key limitation affecting race performance.
KTM has traditionally been recognised as one of the fastest bikes on the grid in terms of straight-line speed, highlighted by previous benchmarks in recent seasons. However, data from the Brazil weekend indicated a shift in competitive balance, with Acosta recording a top speed of 342.8 km/h, significantly lower than the 348.3 km/h achieved by Marc Marquez on the Ducati Lenovo Team.
This deficit had a direct impact on race dynamics, particularly in slipstream battles and overtaking opportunities. As a result, Acosta finished seventh in the grand prix and surrendered the championship lead to Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia Racing, reflecting the competitive consequences of reduced straight-line performance.
“Top speed is what we’re lacking the most.”
“If you can’t overtake or stay in the slipstream, everything becomes more difficult.”
Acosta emphasised that the team maximised the available package during the Brazil weekend, focusing on damage limitation under suboptimal conditions. He also highlighted concerns heading into the United States Grand Prix at Austin, where long straights are expected to further expose KTM’s current limitation.
“For now, we can only get 100% out of what we have, which I believe we managed to do this weekend.”
“I’m aware that it will be tough in Austin too because of the two long straights, so we need to work on it.”
From a strategic perspective, Acosta opted for the soft rear tyre following the late decision to shorten the race distance from 31 to 23 laps due to track surface issues at Turns 11 and 12. The choice represented an aggressive attempt to maximise grip, but ultimately yielded only a seventh-place finish.
He noted that the only decisive overtake against him came from Jorge Martin under braking, suggesting that KTM retains relative strength in braking stability despite its shortcomings in top speed.
With this result, Acosta drops to third in the championship standings, now 14 points behind Bezzecchi. The shift marks a significant contrast to the opening round in Thailand, where he secured a maiden sprint victory and finished second in the grand prix to lead the standings.
Meanwhile, team principal Aki Ajo clarified that Acosta’s earlier comments regarding his unexpected championship lead had been taken out of context, stressing that the rider was referring to the surprising nature of the Thailand outcome rather than expressing doubts about performance.
KTM now enters a critical development phase ahead of the next round in Austin, where improvements in top speed will be essential to maintain competitiveness on circuits with long straights and high-speed demands.
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