Pedro Acosta slipped past Marc Marquez for the lead early at the Hungarian Grand Prix, only to be overtaken again in an intense duel on a wet‑slick surface at Balaton Park.
Battle‑line recap
The KTM rider opened the race with a swift pass on Marquez on lap 2, building a lead thanks to Michelin soft tyres. Ducati’s Marquez, on durable medium compounds, closed the gap before the midpoint, overtaking at Turn 9/10 and reclaiming the start. Acosta retook the position at Turn 12, pushing the Spaniard into a move that saw the pair touch on the final corner.
When Marquez attacked again at the chicane the following lap, Acosta was unable to respond and finished second, the Spanish number twenty‑two runner‑up.
Acosta’s perspective
Explaining his “mobile chicane” feeling, Acosta said Marquez was “weak in the right ones but super fast in Turn 8.” He added that the champion had “passed me as if I were a mobile chicane,” yet he demonstrated resilience by fighting back when Marquez slipped past.
“It’s always nice to battle with Marc. There were clean overtakes, some contacts, but everything stayed legal,” he said. He labelled it the third loss to the champion, noting that these battles are proving his performance is improving year over year.
Progress and outlook
Acosta, the fastest rider in KTM’s roster, continues to chase his first podium‑winning Sunday. He hit pole at the Buriram sprint and has led several races in 2026, but crashes have limited his victories. “Last year I was consistently crashing an 80% rate on paper,” he admitted. The KTM team believes bike improvements have helped reduce those incidents, and Acosta feels the gains will soon convert into race wins.
KTM versus the dominant manufacturers
While KTM lags behind Aprilia and Ducati—who have shared all eight wins of 2026—Acosta notes the Austrian marque’s progress is narrowing the gap. “Now I’m more consistent, and I believe a win is imminent,” he said, underscoring his confidence in the season’s trajectory.
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