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MotoGP Rider – Pedro Acosta (Spain)

Pedro Acosta: Detailed Rider Profile

BY TECHM STUDIOS
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AUG 12, 2026
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UPDATED: AUG 12, 2026
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Pedro Acosta is one of the most highly regarded young riders in modern Grand Prix motorcycle racing. The Spaniard, born in Murcia on 25 May 2004, has already won World Championships in both Moto3 and Moto2 and has established himself as a leading MotoGP rider with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

Acosta races with the number 37. His rapid progression through the Grand Prix categories has been remarkable: he won the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2020, became Moto3 World Champion as a rookie in 2021, won the Moto2 World Championship in 2023 and made his MotoGP debut in 2024.

Quick Facts

Full name	Pedro Acosta
Date of birth	25 May 2004
Place of birth	Murcia, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Race number	37
Height	171 cm
Weight	63 kg
Current MotoGP team	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Current manufacturer	KTM
MotoGP debut	2024
World Championships	2 – Moto3 (2021), Moto2 (2023)

Rider information is based primarily on the official MotoGP rider profile.

Early Life and Development

Acosta's path into motorcycle racing began at a very young age. His family bought him his first dirt bike when he was five, although motorcycle racing was not initially an obvious passion for the young Spaniard. Once he committed himself to racing, however, his progress accelerated rapidly.

In 2017, Acosta won the Spanish PreMoto3 Championship with two races still remaining. He subsequently moved into the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship and began competing in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

His first Rookies Cup season in 2019 produced three victories and five podiums, enough to finish runner-up to Carlos Tatay. Acosta went one better in 2020, winning the Rookies Cup title after a dominant campaign that included six consecutive victories.

This progression made him one of the most closely watched prospects in the Grand Prix paddock before he had even made his World Championship debut. MotoGP's official biography describes him as a standout competitor in both the Junior World Championship and the Rookies Cup.

2021: Sensational Moto3 World Championship

Acosta entered the 2021 Moto3 World Championship with Red Bull KTM Ajo as a rookie, but his performances immediately exceeded expectations.

He finished second on his Grand Prix debut in Qatar, coming within a fraction of victory. One race later, at the Doha Grand Prix, he produced one of the defining rides of his career: after starting from pit lane, Acosta fought through the field and won the race.

The Doha victory was followed by further wins in Portugal, Spain, Germany, Styria and Algarve. He also collected additional podiums and quickly established a substantial championship advantage.

At the age of 17, Acosta secured the Moto3 World Championship at the Algarve Grand Prix. He became the first rookie to win the lightweight World Championship since Loris Capirossi in 1990.

His 2021 season was particularly remarkable because the championship victory came in his first year on the Grand Prix circuit. MotoGP recorded five victories during his title campaign and highlighted his extraordinary start to the season, including three consecutive victories.

The title transformed Acosta from a promising prospect into one of the most important young riders in the sport.

2022: Moto2 Rookie Season

Rather than making an immediate jump to MotoGP, Acosta moved into Moto2 with Red Bull KTM Ajo for the 2022 season. The intermediate class presented a substantially different challenge, with heavier and more powerful motorcycles demanding a different approach to braking, corner entry and tyre management.

His rookie season was not completely straightforward. Acosta experienced injury difficulties and had to adapt to the larger Moto2 motorcycle, but he still demonstrated exceptional speed.

His breakthrough Moto2 victory came at Mugello. He subsequently added another victory in Valencia and finished fifth in the championship. Despite not immediately winning the title, he was named Moto2 Rookie of the Year.

The season provided an important foundation for his eventual return to championship-winning form in 2023.

2023: Moto2 World Champion

Acosta entered the 2023 Moto2 season as one of the favourites and delivered on that expectation. Racing again for Red Bull KTM Ajo, he combined outright speed with significantly improved consistency.

He won seven races and finished on the podium 14 times. The consistency was particularly important because Tony Arbolino mounted a strong championship challenge during the first part of the season.

Acosta gradually took control of the championship during the summer and extended his advantage through the second half of the campaign. At the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang, he finished second to secure the Moto2 World Championship with two races remaining.

The title made Acosta the youngest-ever Moto2 World Champion at the time. He also became only the second rider after Álex Márquez to win both the Moto3 and Moto2 World Championships.

His 2023 title also put him in an elite group of riders who arrived in MotoGP having already won both of the lower Grand Prix categories.

2024: MotoGP Debut

Acosta made his MotoGP debut in 2024 with GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3, riding KTM machinery. Expectations were enormous, but the rookie quickly demonstrated that he was capable of competing with established premier class riders.

He scored his first MotoGP podium at the Portuguese Grand Prix and followed it with another podium at the Grand Prix of the Americas. Further Sunday podiums and Sprint-race rostrums followed during the season.

Acosta ultimately finished sixth in the 2024 MotoGP World Championship , only two points behind fellow KTM rider Brad Binder. His five Sunday podiums and four Sprint podiums made his rookie season one of the strongest recent MotoGP debuts.

Although he did not win a premier-class Grand Prix in his first season, his performances confirmed that the speed displayed in Moto3 and Moto2 had translated to the highest level.

2025: Establishing Himself in MotoGP

Acosta moved into the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team for 2025, placing him directly inside KTM's principal MotoGP operation.

The season was less straightforward than his spectacular rookie campaign. KTM experienced a difficult period both competitively and commercially, while Acosta continued adapting to the demands of being a factory rider.

Nevertheless, his speed was evident. During the latter part of the season he increasingly fought for podium positions and recorded three second-place finishes. The results reinforced the view that his first MotoGP victory was a matter of when rather than whether.

By the end of 2025, Acosta had established himself as one of the leading young riders in the premier class despite still searching for his first Sunday MotoGP victory.

2026: Strong Start and First MotoGP Pole

Acosta entered 2026 for his third MotoGP season with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. The campaign began with renewed competitiveness, with MotoGP describing his opening three rounds as his strongest start to a premier class season to that point.

In May, Acosta secured his first MotoGP pole position at the Catalan Grand Prix. He also came extremely close to winning the Barcelona Sprint, finishing just 0.041 seconds behind Álex Márquez in one of the closest Sprint finishes in MotoGP history.

Acosta's pace remained evident through the middle portion of the season. He topped practice at several events and continued to challenge the leading riders despite KTM experiencing reliability and performance difficulties.

In June 2026, MotoGP confirmed that Acosta would leave KTM at the end of the season and join the Ducati Lenovo Team for 2027 and 2028. He is set to become a factory Ducati rider alongside Marc Márquez, creating one of the most anticipated line-ups on the MotoGP grid.

Acosta subsequently underwent successful surgery on his right wrist for carpal tunnel syndrome in June 2026. MotoGP reported that he was fit to compete at the German Grand Prix shortly afterward.

Riding Style

Acosta's riding style is characterised by aggressive braking, strong corner-entry speed and an unusually high level of confidence when overtaking. His compact physique and ability to use his upper body effectively are also important components of his technique.

MotoGP technical coverage has highlighted the way Acosta uses his neck and upper body to help control the motorcycle under heavy braking. This allows him to attack braking zones aggressively while keeping the motorcycle relatively stable.

His Moto3 background also gave him exceptional experience in close racing. Lightweight-class racing requires riders to make frequent overtakes, anticipate changes in momentum and exploit small gaps, skills that Acosta carried into Moto2 and MotoGP.

Another defining characteristic is his willingness to experiment. Acosta has frequently shown a readiness to try different lines, braking points and overtaking strategies, even when the risk is substantial.

That aggression is simultaneously one of his greatest strengths and an area he has had to manage. At MotoGP level, extracting maximum performance over an entire championship requires balancing outright speed with tyre preservation, consistency and risk management.

Strengths

Braking: Acosta is particularly effective at attacking braking zones and gaining positions under deceleration.
Racecraft: His Moto3 experience gave him exceptional ability in close battles and overtaking situations.
Adaptability: He won championships in two different categories and adapted rapidly to MotoGP machinery.
Raw speed: His pole position and repeated front-running practice performances demonstrate strong one-lap pace.
Race confidence: Acosta has repeatedly shown that he is willing to challenge established MotoGP stars.
Technical feedback: His experience with KTM machinery and development work has made him an important part of the manufacturer's MotoGP programme.

Challenges and Areas for Development

The principal challenge for Acosta is converting his exceptional speed into a sustained MotoGP championship campaign. His junior-category record shows that he knows how to win championships, but MotoGP places much greater emphasis on consistency across a long calendar.

He must also continue refining his risk management. His aggressive approach can produce spectacular performances, but premier-class championships are often decided by riders who combine speed with an extremely low rate of costly mistakes.

The transition to Ducati in 2027 will introduce another significant adaptation. Acosta will have to learn a new motorcycle after several years within KTM's development environment while simultaneously joining a team featuring multiple-time World Champion Marc Márquez.

Move to Ducati: 2027 and 2028

In June 2026, Ducati confirmed Acosta as part of its factory MotoGP line-up for 2027 and 2028. The move represents a major turning point in his career.

Acosta will join Marc Márquez at Ducati Lenovo Team, giving Ducati two riders with championship-winning records across the Grand Prix categories. The pairing also creates a fascinating sporting dynamic: Acosta will have the opportunity to benchmark himself directly against one of the most successful riders of the modern MotoGP era.

For Acosta, the Ducati move should provide an opportunity to demonstrate whether his speed can translate into regular victories and an eventual MotoGP World Championship. For Ducati, signing one of the sport's youngest established stars provides long-term continuity as the championship enters a new technical era.

Career Achievements

2017: Spanish PreMoto3 Champion
2019: Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup runner-up
2020: Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion
2021: Moto3 World Champion as a rookie
2022: Moto2 Rookie of the Year and fifth in the championship
2023: Moto2 World Champion
2024: Sixth in MotoGP World Championship with five Sunday podiums
2025: Three MotoGP second-place finishes
2026: First MotoGP pole position at Barcelona
2027–2028: Confirmed Ducati Lenovo Team rider

Why Pedro Acosta Matters to MotoGP

Acosta's importance extends beyond his results. He represents the next generation of Spanish Grand Prix talent and has progressed through the traditional championship ladder at extraordinary speed.

Winning Moto3 as a rookie and Moto2 two seasons later established him as an exceptional prospect. His MotoGP performances have subsequently shown that his reputation was justified: he was competitive almost immediately, became a regular podium contender and has developed into a factory-level rider before turning 23.

His move to Ducati adds another layer to his story. If he can combine his natural aggression and speed with the consistency required over a full MotoGP season, Acosta has the potential to become one of the defining riders of the post-Marc Márquez generation.