KTM is working to recover the strength it previously showed at MotoGP race starts. The RC16 had been one of the championship’s most effective bikes in that phase, but it lost ground to its rivals after the front holeshot device was banned at Assen. KTM has also made progress in extracting grip from the soft rear tyre during time attacks, although part of that gain has been cancelled out by weaker launch performance.

Red Bull KTM team manager Aki Ajo says the rule change has affected the team’s performance, while making clear that it is not the only explanation. Rival manufacturers are developing continuously as well, which is also changing the competitive picture. In Ajo’s view, starts are now the area that demands KTM’s greatest attention if it is to recover one of its former strengths.

Acosta’s championship position and the 2027 rules

Pedro Acosta’s best qualifying result so far is pole position at Catalunya. His lowest grid positions have been 10th at Mugello and Sachsenring. The Red Bull Ring winner goes into the Australian Grand Prix fifth in the World Championship, one point behind Trackhouse Aprilia’s Ai Ogura.

Rear holeshot and ride-height devices remain in use until the end of the current season. They will be banned from 2027, when MotoGP enters its 850cc-engine and Pirelli-tyre era. KTM’s work on starts therefore has an immediate impact on the RC16, but it also serves as preparation for the championship’s next technical framework.