Pedro Acosta Confident For KTM MotoGP Future Despite Financial Turmoil Ahead

Saajan Jogia | 17 Hours Ago

Apr 13, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Pedro Acosta (31) of Spain and Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS rides during the qualifying session for the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta, who signed a multi-year deal with KTM's factory racing starting this year alongside Brad Binder, is confident that the team will "get through" its financial turmoil. The statements arrive after KTM cleared Acosta's doubts about its future in MotoGP when the Spaniard visited KTM's headquarters in Mattighofen, Austria, last month.

KTM faces a financial crisis with debts exceeding €2.9 billion, which prompted a restructuring effort to avoid bankruptcy. While a recent creditors' hearing provided cautious optimism, the proceedings were allowed to continue, strengthened by potential investments of up to €700 million from external sources.

While the orange brand has maintained that its motorsport activities, particularly MotoGP, will remain unaffected by the restructuring despite its huge investments in the project, reports from the first creditors' hearing suggested that KTM would gradually withdraw from the sport by the end of the 2026 season. The confusion over KTM's future in MotoGP raised several concerns, especially for Acosta who starts a fresh chapter with the team in a few weeks.

However, the 20-year-old rider seemed calm about the situation, likely due to his visit to KTM's headquarters. Speaking at an event of Pont Grup, he told Marca:

"The current situation of KTM does not affect us at all, and I am sure that they will get through it.

"I'm happy to have made the step up to the official team, which was what we were looking for from the beginning. The objective will be to finish fine-tuning some points of the bike and look for consistency in the races to fight for better results.

"The goal will be to seek consistency. Many times I wanted to do it so fast that I fell." [Translated by Google]

Acosta met senior figures at KTM's headquarters in Mattighofen, as confirmed by his manager Albert Valera after he was concerned about the team's future in MotoGP. Valera revealed that Acosta was relieved after receiving an official update. He said:

"Pedro and I had the opportunity to travel to Austria to see in person the real situation of the KTM project in MotoGP.

"Despite the delicate situation that the company is going through, the feeling is positive.

"We have been told at all times that racing is the essence of KTM, that they will continue working with the sole objective of winning the title.

"Pedro is committed to the project and feels more relieved and confident after the meeting."