Rina Putri
PrakarsaWarga.Com – Ducati is not closing its eyes to the potential for heated competition between Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta , who will be teammates starting the 2027 MotoGP season . Although both are known as talented riders with big ambitions, Ducati management is optimistic about being able to maintain a conducive team atmosphere.
Pedro Acosta is confirmed to be leaving KTM after the end of the 2026 MotoGP season. The young Spanish rider will join the Ducati factory team to replace Francesco Bagnaia, who has chosen to continue his career with Aprilia.
Acosta’s presence is believed to add strength to Ducati. However, the partnership of two riders with strong personalities like Acosta and Marc Marquez also has the potential to spark rivalry within the team.
Ducati has anticipated potential friction
Ducati director Mauro Grassilli acknowledged the possibility of friction between the two riders. However, he considered such a situation to be normal when a team has two top riders who both want to become world champions.
According to Grassilli, Ducati prefers having two of its best riders on the same team rather than facing them as opponents on the track. The biggest challenge isn’t avoiding competition, but managing it so it still has a positive impact on the team’s performance.
He also emphasized that both Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta are professional racers who understand the limitations of working together under one banner.
Learning from Previous Experiences
Ducati management has experience dealing with similar situations. When Enea Bastianini joined, many predicted internal conflict. The same thing happened when Marc Marquez officially joined Ducati.
However, these concerns proved to be minor issues. The team was able to maintain professional relationships between the riders, allowing the primary focus to remain on developing the bike and competing for the world title.
Reflecting on that experience, Ducati is confident it can manage the relationship between Marquez and Acosta if a more intense rivalry arises.
Acosta Ready to Challenge Marquez
Pedro Acosta, nicknamed “The Shark ,” has continued to show rapid progress since moving up to MotoGP. Last season, he finished fourth in the final standings despite only being in his second season in the premier class.
These achievements have led many observers to consider Acosta a potential future MotoGP star. With the Ducati’s renowned competitiveness, his chances of competing for the world title are increasingly high.
On the other hand, Marc Marquez remains one of the most experienced and successful riders in MotoGP. His winning mentality, aggressive racing skills, and extensive experience make him a benchmark for younger riders, including Acosta.
Internal Rivalry Could Be Ducati’s Advantage
Healthy competition within the team is considered to improve Ducati’s performance throughout the season. The presence of two riders with equally high speed is believed to further optimize the bike’s development process.
As long as communication remains good and all parties maintain professionalism, the rivalry between Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta has the potential to be one of the most compelling stories in MotoGP 2027, strengthening Ducati’s dominance in the world title race.
With the combination of Marquez’s experience and Acosta’s youthful enthusiasm, Ducati is believed to be the team most in the spotlight when the new MotoGP season officially begins.
