Acosta’s feedback lifts KTM as Binder heads to WorldSBK
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 30, 2026
Acosta lifts KTM
Pedro Acosta has become KTM’s clear benchmark in MotoGP, and the team has used his results to measure how far the bike has come. He scored his first MotoGP win at Spielberg and added podium finishes in Thailand, Austin, Barcelona, Hungary, Aragon and Misano. He also opened the season with a Sprint win and the early championship lead, a start that pointed to a genuine breakthrough for both rider and team. The momentum did not last cleanly. KTM’s reliability and performance problems left Acosta as low as seventh in the standings, and he goes into the Japanese MotoGP fourth in the world championship and 72 points behind leader Jorge Martin. That split defines his season. Acosta has given KTM its sharpest reference point, yet the points gap shows how much the factory still has to solve. His pace has been real from the start, but the package around him has needed constant work. That has made him the rider KTM watches most closely, because his results offer the clearest view of what the bike can do when it is working.
KTM leans on feedback
KTM’s technical staff say Acosta’s style gives them a clear target to chase. Sebastian Risse said his hard braking and early turn-in make him fast and difficult to attack, and he said the riding has become smoother and more controlled since Acosta entered MotoGP. Acosta said his lines are still tighter than most riders’ lines and that he has tried to stay calmer this season. KTM engineers said his riding style is hard for other riders to copy, which makes his feedback even more useful to the factory. Paul Trevathan said Acosta’s progress after his maiden MotoGP win at the Red Bull Ring was “unbelievable” and said he returned from the summer break “at another level.” Pit Beirer said the team had gone “crazy” trying to meet Acosta’s demands. Beirer added that Acosta has been clearer than his KTM teammates about what he wants from the bike, gives precise feedback after every session and makes it easier for KTM to improve the package. That has made Acosta a key part of KTM’s development. He has become the rider whose comments can shape the next step of development, because his speed, his control and his ability to describe what the bike needs all point in the same direction.
Binder heads to WorldSBK
Brad Binder has watched that rise from the other side of the garage, and he praised Acosta’s “unreal” riding while saying Acosta had been carrying the team. Binder’s own season has been quieter. His best results were fourth in the Jerez sprint and sixth in the Spielberg Grand Prix, and KTM has not extended his contract after seven MotoGP seasons. He is set to move to WorldSBK with BMW next season, which ends a long KTM run and opens a new chapter in his career. KTM’s next MotoGP lineup will be Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio. Acosta already has a factory Ducati deal in place for next season, which adds another layer to KTM’s future plans. The picture around the team is shifting fast. Acosta has become the rider KTM builds around. Binder is moving on after years in the program. With Acosta’s feedback driving development now, the team is preparing for a fresh pairing in the garage.
