Pedro Acosta finished third in the Sunday Grand Prix at Misano on Sept. 15, 2026, marking his second consecutive MotoGP podium this season. Despite the result, Acosta criticized KTM’s performance, saying the team had “taken steps backwards” with the RC16 and struggled with braking issues, according to post-race comments.
Acosta’s third-place finish at Misano on Sept. 15, 2026, followed a difficult weekend that saw him qualify seventh with a best lap of 1:30.640 in Q2, starting from the third row, according to official timing sheets. He placed sixth in the Saturday sprint race, finishing 6.944 seconds behind race winner Marc Márquez over 13 laps, a deficit of more than half a second per lap, records show. Despite the relatively modest sprint result, Acosta’s performance improved significantly in Sunday’s full-distance Grand Prix, where he closed to within 2.326 seconds of Marc Márquez and 1.669 seconds of Álex Márquez at the finish line, official results confirm.
Acosta publicly criticized KTM’s RC16 package after the sprint, stating the team had “taken steps backwards” at Misano and was “really struggling with braking,” an area normally considered a strength for KTM, according to post-race comments reported by MotoGP sources.
He described the gap to Ducati and Aprilia as “terrifying” and warned fans not to expect a podium on Sunday. In response, KTM engineers carried out a major overnight revision, which Acosta said involved “changing the whole bike completely” before the race. The overhaul contributed to his improved pace on Sunday, though he acknowledged ongoing issues with front-tyre movement and confidence, particularly in the fast Turn 11 sector of the Misano circuit.
During the race, Acosta initially matched Álex Márquez’s pace, engaging in close battles and overtakes before briefly dropping back and then recovering speed late in the event. Late in the race, he closed in on the Márquez brothers but suffered a front-end lock at Turn 7, forcing him to abandon the fight for second place to secure the podium safely, according to race reports and Acosta’s own statements. He reported lapping at approximately 1:30.9 in the final phase, a marked improvement from Saturday’s pace.
Álex Márquez finished second in the Misano Grand Prix, 0.657 seconds behind his brother Marc Márquez, riding the GP26 Ducati, official timing shows. He credited a compromised starting position for missing a direct challenge for victory, stating, “We lost the chance at victory in the Quali,” according to his post-race interview. Despite this, Álex expressed satisfaction with his speed and race management, calling it “great to be back on the podium” after hard work to regain form. He emphasized the need to build on the result quickly, noting the team’s focus would shift to the next round in Austria.
Earlier in the season, Álex Márquez had analyzed the GP26 Ducati’s strengths and weaknesses, highlighting qualifying as a key area needing improvement to convert race pace into wins. His Misano result, with a sub-second gap to the winner, reinforces his status as a consistent podium contender but also places his Saturday performances under increased scrutiny, according to MotoGP analysts.
The Misano weekend intensified scrutiny on both riders as the paddock prepares for the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix. Acosta’s 2026 record includes one sprint win and three Sunday podiums, but his candid remarks about KTM’s lack of progress and technical struggles have made him a central figure in discussions about the manufacturer’s competitiveness this season. KTM’s overnight bike overhaul at Misano and Acosta’s ability to secure a podium despite initial setbacks underscore the pressure on the team to close the performance gap to Ducati and Aprilia, sources confirmed.
Meanwhile, the dynamic between the Márquez brothers and Acosta at Misano, with Marc Márquez winning, Álex Márquez second, and Acosta third, provides a benchmark for both Ducati and KTM as they head into the remaining rounds. Media coverage following the race highlighted Acosta’s description of the gap to rival manufacturers as “terrifying” and Álex Márquez’s frustration over qualifying as key narratives shaping expectations for upcoming events.
Throughout the 2026 season, Acosta has balanced aggressive riding with KTM’s evolving technical package, often encountering crashes in practice but delivering solid race results, according to team insiders. Both Acosta and Álex Márquez have indicated that detailed technical evaluations and strategic adjustments will be necessary in the lead-up to Austria, with a focus on addressing braking performance and qualifying pace, respectively. These factors position both riders under close observation as the MotoGP championship progresses.
