Pedro Acosta’s ‘superhuman’ skills impress Espargaro: “He’s in his prime now”

Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty Images Pol Espargaro backs Pedro Acosta to hit his peak in 2026 Pol Espargaro says he expects KTM rider Pedro Acosta to hit his prime soon, praising the youngster’s growing maturity and his already impressive skill set aboard the RC16. While Acosta hasn’t found extra speed on the RC16 compared to last season, Espargaro sees clear signs of improvement. He believes the young Spaniard has become a more complete rider, even without raw speed gains.

Acosta didn’t consider himself a real winner after his Sprint Race win in Thailand – feeling it came more from Marc Marquez’s penalty than outright pace – but has since climbed onto two Grand Prix podiums. Espargaro also thinks Acosta still has room to grow further with KTM. Pol Espargaro says Pedro Acosta is nearly in his ‘prime’ after maturing in 2026 Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images Acosta would have taken third place in the COTA Sprint if it weren’t for his tyre pressure penalty, which bumped Tech3’s Enea Bastianini up into the podium spots.

Even so, he still managed seventh in the Brazilian Grand Prix, making him KTM’s top finisher that day. This is a marked improvement from last year when Acosta’s lack of composure often got the better of him. He was known for pushing too hard and taking unnecessary risks rather than settling for what was available.

“Last year, he had the same pace, or very similar, but he lacked the maturity he has shown this season,” Espargaro told SPORT. “Pedro is reaching a point this season where he is in his prime. He knows how to manage the pace – when, how and at which part of the circuit he needs to push.