Espargaro Laments KTM's Shortcomings as Acosta's Victory Drought Continues

SEPANG, Malaysia – Pol Espargaro, KTM’s MotoGP test rider, has expressed his frustration at the inability of Pedro Acosta to secure a premier class victory, attributing the 21-year-old Spaniard’s ongoing drought to the limitations of the KTM RC16 motorcycle. Espargaro’s comments come amidst growing recognition of Acosta’s talent and consistency, despite his still being a rookie in his second MotoGP season.

Acosta, currently fifth in the championship standings, has emerged as a consistent frontrunner, showcasing a maturity that belies his age. His recent performance at the Malaysian Grand Prix, where he battled with reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia on his factory Ducati, underscores his potential. Acosta ultimately finished second, securing his fourth Sunday podium of the season.

Despite these impressive results, a victory has remained elusive, a point often highlighted by critics. However, Espargaro believes that Acosta’s inability to clinch a win is not a reflection of his skill, but rather a consequence of the KTM’s performance deficit compared to rival manufacturers.

"It’s painful to see," Espargaro stated at Sepang. "It’s nice to see he’s consistent, but it’s painful to see that he’s consistently out of the podium [positions]. He’s much faster than this."

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Espargaro, who has closely monitored Acosta’s development within the KTM structure, is convinced that the young Spaniard would be a regular race winner if he had access to a more competitive machine.

"If on another bike, he would be winning races, but we cannot deliver this performance on our bike yet," Espargaro acknowledged.

He further highlighted Acosta’s raw speed, citing the qualifying session at Sepang as an example. "He’s riding very well. [In qualifying], he did a 1m57.3s [lap] trying to get a better result. It makes him crash. My ideal lap time would be 1m57.6s, and I’m fast on one lap here [in Sepang]. So he took three or four tenths [of me]."

Espargaro emphasized the frustration of witnessing Acosta’s talent being constrained by the bike’s limitations. "He’s very quick and it’s painful to see him not being on the podium every race with his speed."

Looking ahead, Espargaro expressed KTM’s commitment to improving the RC16’s performance to enable Acosta to realize his full potential. "But we will try to make the bike faster, at least for the next year, to see him shining more often."

Acosta’s emergence as a top MotoGP contender has been a significant story of the 2025 season. After a somewhat inconsistent start to the year, marked by rookie errors, he has found a rhythm and consistency that has propelled him to the forefront of the championship battle. His ability to challenge established stars like Bagnaia demonstrates his immense talent and potential.

Acosta’s current fifth-place standing in the championship is particularly impressive considering that he has accumulated nearly twice as many points as his teammate, Brad Binder, who is the next highest-placed KTM rider in the standings. This highlights Acosta’s superior performance within the team and his ability to extract the maximum from the RC16.

The KTM factory team has been striving to close the gap to the dominant Ducati and the rapidly improving Aprilia. While progress has been made, the RC16 still lags behind in certain areas, particularly in outright speed and acceleration. This deficit has made it difficult for Acosta to consistently challenge for victories, despite his exceptional riding ability.

The recent Asia-Pacific leg of the MotoGP season has seen the emergence of two first-time winners: Fermin Aldeguer, riding for Gresini, won the Indonesian Grand Prix, and Raul Fernandez, representing Trackhouse, triumphed in Australia. Both Aldeguer and Fernandez are Spaniards, adding to the sense of frustration for Acosta, who is eager to join their ranks as a MotoGP race winner.

When asked about watching his fellow Spaniards achieve their first victories, Acosta acknowledged his desire to experience the same success. "It is what it is. In the end, I also want to be [a first-time winner]."

Despite the lack of a victory, Acosta remains focused on improving his own performance and maximizing his potential within the current limitations. "I’m riding in my best moment right now. You see that I’m not making stupid mistakes and I’m not losing focus in important moments. I’m always in the top five. Now I’m finding this consistency."

Acosta is aware of the areas where the KTM needs to improve. "But in the box, we know what is missing. We need something that gives us a bit more performance."

He also recognizes the strength of the competition, particularly Ducati and Aprilia, and acknowledges the efforts of Honda to return to the front. "We know that Ducati is still at the top. We know that Aprilia is now the second manufacturer in the championship, and we know that Honda is pushing a lot to come back."

Acosta is confident that KTM can make the necessary improvements to close the gap to the competition. "Now, the [KTM] factory has to make a push. We are not missing that much, but the problem is that we miss a lot in important moments [areas]."

In the meantime, Acosta is focused on honing his skills and extracting the most from the RC16. "Now is my moment to become a better rider. It’s my moment to be more precise in everything. I need to be fast."

He believes that the challenges he is facing are contributing to his development as a rider. "I’m getting more experience, because I’m trying many more things, and I’m trying everything that I have on the table. I’m trying to pick the best moments to use it for this. I’m becoming a better guy."

Acosta’s journey in MotoGP has been closely followed since his dominant performances in the Moto3 and Moto2 classes. He won the Moto3 world championship in 2021 and finished second in the Moto2 championship in 2023, earning him a promotion to MotoGP with the Tech3 GasGas Factory Racing team, which is affiliated with KTM.

KTM’s MotoGP program has been steadily developing since its debut in 2017. The Austrian manufacturer has invested heavily in its MotoGP effort, bringing in experienced engineers and riders to improve the performance of the RC16. While KTM has achieved some success, including race wins, it has yet to consistently challenge for the championship.

The current MotoGP season has seen a shift in the competitive landscape, with Ducati continuing to set the benchmark, but Aprilia emerging as a strong contender. Other manufacturers, including Yamaha and Honda, are also working to improve their competitiveness.

The remaining races of the 2025 MotoGP season will be crucial for Acosta and KTM. Acosta will be looking to continue his consistent performances and challenge for podiums, while KTM will be focused on gathering data and developing improvements for the RC16 in preparation for the 2026 season.

The MotoGP paddock will be closely watching Acosta’s progress, eager to see if he can overcome the limitations of his machinery and finally secure that elusive first victory. His talent and determination are undeniable, and it is only a matter of time before he becomes a major force in the premier class.