Pedro Acosta’s move to Ducati for 2027 carries even more weight after the Spaniard claimed his first MotoGP victory in Austria. He is expected to occupy the same garage as Marc Marquez, creating a pairing that will attract attention well before the new season begins.

Paul Trevathan, who has worked with Acosta since the rider entered MotoGP in 2024, discussed the move with TNT Sports after the Austrian MotoGP, in comments reported by Crash.net. Trevathan does not expect the contest to stay on the circuit: he said the fight would begin inside the box and described putting Acosta alongside Marquez as a massive challenge.

Trevathan sees Marquez as especially effective at applying pressure to team-mates and drawing the wider organisation around himself. He also argues that the nine-time world champion has not previously faced a rider with Acosta’s particular character. Over the past two-and-a-half seasons, Acosta has established himself as one of MotoGP’s most competitive riders, although frustration has also been a recurring part of his KTM period.

Why the Austria win matters

Acosta will arrive with a stronger reference point than Pol Espargaro had. Espargaro was the last rider to leave KTM for a place alongside Marquez, and returned to the Austrian manufacturer two seasons later without a victory. Acosta, by contrast, already has a premier-class win on his record before joining Ducati.

The technical pairing is not fully settled yet. Ducati has not confirmed which crew chief will work with Acosta and Trevathan, although Christian Gabbarini is regarded as a possible choice because he currently works with Francesco Bagnaia. At the same time, Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio are expected to move to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. Trevathan’s forecast is clear: Marquez will face a major new internal challenge, with Acosta bringing a personality he describes as a “monster” beside the established champion. He expects fireworks.