Pedro Acosta has once again proven to be the backbone of KTM in MotoGP 2026. The Spanish rider is the only one capable of taking the RC16 to the front, while his teammate Brad Binder and Tech3's Enea Bastianini lag far behind. KTM technical director Sebastian Risse has spoken out about the secret behind Acosta's extraordinary performance.
According to Risse, Acosta has a very distinctive riding style. "Pedro has traditionally had quite a special riding style," he told Motorsport.com. "On the one hand, he brakes hard and late, without losing rear-wheel contact with the ground. On the other hand, there's that early turn-in, which classically isn't actually the right racing line. But he manages to bend the bike around the corner that way."
This aggressive style makes Acosta hard to attack, yet still competitive on the next corner exit. "He doesn't lose what you'd expect at the next corner exit if someone else tried it like that," Risse added. "But you can also see that his riding style has recently become significantly smoother and more controlled. He controls himself in that area and uses it when it gives him an advantage."
Acosta himself acknowledges the evolution in his riding. "I would say yes. It is true that my lines are still a bit tighter than the others', but not as extreme as they once were," he admitted. "And if you look at my body position, I also think I am riding much more smoothly than before. Even so, sometimes the old Pedro still comes through and ruins everything. But in 90 percent of situations this season I have really tried to stay much calmer than in the past."
This progress is visible in the team's data. Since his MotoGP debut in 2024, Acosta has continued to improve. As a result, in the 2026 season he has already won the sprint in Thailand and taken podiums in Austin, Barcelona, Hungary, Aragon, and Misano. Meanwhile, Binder and Bastianini struggle to break into the top five.
The uniqueness of Acosta's style also poses a challenge for other riders trying to copy it. The combination of hard braking, early turn-in, and precise body control is difficult to replicate. This makes Acosta a valuable asset for KTM in facing the dominance of Ducati and other top teams.
With a long season still ahead, the big question is whether Acosta can consistently run at the front and deliver KTM's first grand prix win of the season. If he continues to refine his riding style, it's not impossible that he becomes a serious title contender.
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