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Pedro Acosta explains what KTM needs to close the gap to Aprilia in MotoGP
TL;DR
Pedro Acosta identifies cornering as KTM's main weakness compared to Aprilia in MotoGP. Despite this, KTM's updated RC16 has shown competitive performance, placing them second in the teams' championship.
Key points
- Pedro Acosta highlights cornering as KTM's weakness
- Aprilia has dominated the early 2026 MotoGP season
- Marco Bezzecchi has a winning streak since the 2025 Portuguese GP
- KTM's RC16 is competitive and ranks second in teams' championship
- KTM is third in the constructors' championship
Pedro AcostaMarco BezzecchiKTMAprilia
Motorsport photo
Pedro Acosta believes cornering remains the key area where KTMâs MotoGP bike is falling short of pacesetter Aprilia in the early part of the 2026 season.
Aprilia dominated the opening three flyaway rounds across Asia and the Americas, with factory rider Marco Bezzecchi extending a winning streak that began with the Portuguese GP at the tail end of 2025.
But KTMâs heavily-updated RC16 also proved competitive in the hands of Acosta, helping the Mattighofen-based brand climb to second in the teamsâ championship and third in the constructorsâ table.
KTM has made significant strides in tyre management, which was once considered its Achilles' heel, while other improvements have also played a role in turning the RC16 into a credible challenger.
However, Acosta believes the Austrian manufacturer needs to do more to catch up to the competition, insisting it is still trailing both Aprilia and Ducati in the pecking order.
âIt looks like Aprilia is finding something to turn [the bike] better than the other brands,â he said.
âSince Aleix [Espargaro] was at Aprilia, turning was quite awesome compared to other brands, even more [compared] with the KTM maybe.
"They were quite consistent in Turn 1. With the change of direction, they were not making any mistakes - both Marco and Jorge [Martin].
âIt's quite difficult when you are making some mistakes just trying to follow [them] at the same pace, you know.
âI think they are turning a lot, and it's also where at KTM itâs not our strong point.â
He added: âWe know our limitations. At the moment, Aprilia and Ducati are one step in front of us, or maybe two.
âAt the moment, we are just trying to be inside the top five for every race and keep going like this.â
Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Q&A
What does Pedro Acosta say about KTM's performance in MotoGP?
Pedro Acosta believes that cornering is the key area where KTM's MotoGP bike is lacking compared to Aprilia.
How has Aprilia performed in the early part of the 2026 MotoGP season?
Aprilia has dominated the first three flyaway rounds of the 2026 season, with Marco Bezzecchi extending his winning streak.
Where does KTM currently stand in the MotoGP teams' and constructors' championships?
KTM is currently second in the teams' championship and third in the constructors' table.
What updates have been made to KTM's RC16 bike?
KTM's RC16 has undergone significant updates, which have helped improve its competitiveness in the MotoGP season.
