KTM’s Pedro Acosta shared his thoughts following the Sepang MotoGP test, revealing that while he now knows the specifications of the bike he wishes to ride moving forward, he remains quite self-critical about his own performance. Over the winter, KTM introduced significant upgrades, making notable progress in developing their 2026 machine compared to the previous year.
During the three days of testing, KTM riders experimented with new chassis, aerodynamic tweaks, and swingarms. The RC16’s performance is often judged by final times, with Acosta finishing 8th overall and posting the best time on Wednesday. On Thursday, however, he couldn’t fully capitalize on a time attack due to consecutive chassis tests but expressed confidence in the bike’s direction heading into the Thailand test.
“I’m very happy,” Acosta told the official MotoGP website. “We had to test two chassis back-to-back in the morning, so we weren’t able to push as hard as we wanted with the new tires. Still, we’re quite confident about the bike we need for Thailand. We also did some long runs to compare ourselves to other manufacturers, which made the day very productive.”
Acosta acknowledged that while KTM appears to have resolved last year’s tire wear problems, new challenges have surfaced that require attention. Despite being positive about the progress, he rated his testing experience a modest “6 out of 10.”
“Tire wear is definitely looking much better,” he added. “The bike is more stable and there are fewer unexpected issues. That said, there are still aspects we need to fix and understand better. Overall though, it was a really positive three-day test.”
Fan Take: This update is significant for racing fans because it shows KTM making solid advancements just ahead of the new season, suggesting a more competitive field. Acosta’s balanced critique highlights the continual development and fine-tuning that keep MotoGP thrilling, as manufacturers push the limits to improve performance and reliability.
