Pedro Acosta has detailed the reasoning behind KTM's decision to keep Dani Pedrosa out of the French MotoGP at Le Mans, despite the absence of Maverick Vinales. Vinales remains sidelined for a second consecutive event due to injury, which forced the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team to appoint Jonas Folger as a last-minute replacement.
KTM had initially considered deploying factory test rider Pol Espargaro during the Jerez round, but the Spaniard was ruled out following a hand injury. This left Pedrosa as the most logical candidate for a race call-up, especially given his recent performance during the Monday test, where he recorded lap times faster than full-time riders Alex Rins and Toprak Razgatlioglu.
However, Acosta explained that Pedrosa is currently heavily focused on the development of the new 850cc machine slated for the 2027 season. The transition from 1000cc to 850cc represents a critical technical pivot for the Austrian manufacturer. Pedrosa's role involves refining power delivery and optimizing aerodynamic balance for the new prototype, a process that requires total concentration and the elimination of any risk associated with competitive racing.
Acosta emphasized that KTM cannot afford to risk losing both of its primary test riders simultaneously. With Espargaro still recovering from his injury, Pedrosa's presence on the test track is an indispensable asset. Any potential crash during a high-intensity race weekend at Le Mans could derail the 850cc project's timeline, creating a significant technical deficit for the team in the long term.
Regarding the appointment of Jonas Folger, Acosta provided a technical analysis of the challenges facing the German rider. He noted that the primary obstacle for a rider returning from a long hiatus is not the loss of absolute speed, but rather the speed of adaptation. In modern MotoGP, the performance gap becomes evident by the fifth lap of practice, meaning Folger must reach the limit of the RC16 almost instantaneously to be competitive.
Pedrosa's current form remains impressive for a 40-year-old who has not raced full-time since Jerez 2024. During private tests at Mugello and Jerez, he was only half a second slower than Brad Binder, one of KTM's fastest regular riders. This proves that while Pedrosa possesses the pace, the strategic decision to remain in the garage is a management move to ensure the stability of KTM's future engineering roadmap.
The internal dynamics are further complicated by future rider movements, as Acosta is understood to have already signed with Ducati for the 850cc era. This impending transition increases the urgency for KTM to accelerate their research and development, making the specialized work Pedrosa is conducting on the 850cc platform far more valuable than a one-off race appearance.
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