VR46 an option for Pedro Acosta, but priority is a factory seat at Ducati or elsewhere

The change to the technical regulations planned for MotoGP in 2027 will, according to experts, trigger an explosion in the rider market much earlier than usual. Even before the start of the season, the biggest pieces on the board could begin to move.

Among the most sought-after names on the market are two young talents in Pedro Acosta, who will not remain at KTM beyond this year, and Jorge Martin, whose contract with Aprilia also expires at the end of the season.

Motorsport.com took advantage of the presentation of the Piaggio Group team this Thursday in Milan to speak exclusively with the agent of both riders, Albert Valera.

Motorsport.com: A year ago, we were here at this very same place with a very ambitious project, with Martin wearing the number 1 and as Aprilia’s main figure. Have things changed a lot since then?

Albert Valera: You have to live in the present. A year ago, Jorge was coming off winning the world championship; now we’re coming from a very difficult season.

But we’re here with a lot of excitement; we’re back to having the 89 on the bike, with the same desire and motivation as always — I’d even say more, because after such a tough year he values the profession he has even more and what he has achieved so far.

I see Jorge [is] very positive and aware of what he can still accomplish. He has a lot of confidence that this year he can fight for the world championship until the end; that is his goal.

MS: We all know what happened last year with the famous Aprilia exit clause. It has been said that everything has been reset and forgotten. Has the wound healed, or is it still open?

AV: From our side, it’s not open. We understand that Aprilia did everything they could to retain Jorge. They understand that we had our reasons for doing what we did. There has always been professional respect; each side did its job. In any conflict or disagreement, you have to look for the positive side, and if there’s something good, we take from it, it’s that Aprilia really fought for Jorge - because they believed in him and they still believe in him today. And that’s something we value very highly.

MS: We know riders are made of different stuff, but after getting hurt every time he went out on track last year, can the word ‘fear’ enter Martin’s vocabulary?

AV: No. Jorge is a lion, like the one they’ve put on the bike (the livery). He’s a bull who has no fear, and the best proof of that is the start he made in Japan, which ended up causing him an injury.

A rider with fear doesn’t make starts like that. Quite the opposite: Jorge is a very bold rider, with a lot of motivation and energy, and if he channels it like he did in 2024, he can win another world championship.

MS: The gurus say that the rider market is going to move very early this year; both Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge finish their contracts at the end of 2026. In what scenario do you think Aprilia will operate?

AV: I think that right now Aprilia is the second-best bike after Ducati — or I’d even dare to say at the same level. That has turned them into a very attractive option for any rider. They’ve shown they are a great family and a great project. After last year’s disagreement, we’ve seen that they have continued to treat Jorge the same or even better, and they trust him again. So I’d say Aprilia is on pole position for many riders…

MS: Including Martín?

AV: For Jorge, it is an option, indeed.

MS: But on pole, or on the second row?

AV: I’ll tell you that in a few weeks, but yes, it’s a very serious option to consider, because they deserve it and, today, together with Ducati, they have the best bike.

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team

Factory team the first option for Acosta

In addition to Martín, Valera is also the manager of Acosta, arguably one of the most coveted riders on the MotoGP market right now. This very week, on Wednesday, Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team held its launch event in Rome, and the Italian outfit’s team principal, Uccio Salucci, once again stated that he has as soft spot for Acosta.

MS: Is the VR46 option real for Acosta?

AV: There are possibilities with the vast majority of teams. Is it an option? Yes. As I said, Ducati is, together with Aprilia, the best bike, so why not — it could be an option. Obviously every rider aspires to go to the factory team, so that will be our primary objective. If that doesn’t happen, you always have to study a plan B or a plan C. But I insist: our first objective is to fight for a place in a factory team, whether it’s Ducati or another manufacturer.

MS: When would you like to have Acosta’s and Martin’s futures sorted out?

AV: We can’t wait to test the 2027 bikes. It’s going to be a blind decision because a new regulation comes in and everything starts from scratch. You have to take a gamble and trust the people — the individuals who make up each team. That will be the key: that each rider chooses the human capital they want to work with in 2027 and 2028, the people they believe will give them a better bike and greater happiness.

I’d say that, unlike other years, it doesn’t make sense to wait and see what the bikes will be like. I think the market is going to move early, and in the first races we’ll already know the destination of many riders.

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