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# KTM CEO reveals Acosta's key Marquez stance for 2027
- URL: https://www.the-race.com/motogp/ktm-ceo-reveals-pedro-acosta-key-2027-marc-marquez-stance/
- Published: 2026-09-18T13:42:30.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-18T13:42:30.000Z
- Description: KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister says there was no financial offer that KTM could have made to tempt Pedro Acosta to stay for 2027
- Author: Valentin Khorounzhiy
- Tags: MotoGP, #pedro-acosta, #marc-marquez, #ktm, #secondary_feature_1

KTM CEO Gottfried Neumeister says there was no financial offer that KTM could have made to tempt Pedro Acosta to stay, because Acosta is desperate to measure himself against Marc Marquez.

Though Acosta is yet to win a grand prix, he and Marquez are the two arguable standouts of the current campaign - with Marquez now the title favourite despite injury troubles and Acosta massively outperforming his KTM peers.

Acosta agreed a deal to replace Pecco Bagnaia at Ducati in the last off-season - despite the widespread belief that he could have commanded more lucrative contracts elsewhere.

KTM motorsport boss Pit Beirer said last weekend that KTM felt "there was somehow a chance" to kept him - "but also it was quite long growing in him that he wanted to go there and have the same bike as Marc, and just find out who is better, him or Marc, so there's something I think we couldn't even beat".

And this was corroborated emphatically by Neumeister during KTM's home MotoGP weekend at the Red Bull Ring, when he was asked by The Race about the damage losing Acosta does to his brand's championship ambitions in the short-term in MotoGP.

Neumeister was very keen to emphasise his faith in KTM's future factory line-up of Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio - also making a point to specifically mention it after the end of his media session.

But of Acosta leaving, he said: "I'm really very sorry, and I tried. And it's not a secret. I tried personally to convince him to stay.

"But I mean, I still have goosebumps because he told me, 'Listen, Gottfried, it's not about a million more or less'.

"We have seen riders who are sitting on the best bike at the beginning of the season just signing with others for money. This is, for me, not a racing spirit, yeah?

"And he simply said: 'I'm Spanish. Even if you have a better bike, the 850cc, and I'd be winning on this one, I want to beat Marc with the same weapon.'

"And then you're disarmed, you're dismantled. And this is such a great encouragement. And I will always have the best feelings when I see him."

The line about 'signing with others for money' can be read as reference to joint-championship leader Jorge Martin - who had left KTM on bad terms half a decade ago and who this year committed to a switch from Aprilia to Yamaha early on.

All the evidence corroborates Neumeister's suggestion that KTM's relationship with Acosta remains very healthy until their end-of-year separation - with Acosta allowed to again test KTM's 850cc prototype this Monday at the Red Bull Ring (he already tested it at Brno) and Neumeister making reference to a potential reunion down the line.