One rider who is impossible to ignore right now is Pedro Acosta.
If you're looking for a rider to follow from the beginning of your MotoGP journey, Acosta is a compelling place to start.
At just 22, the Spaniard has become one of the most talked-about riders in motorcycle racing. Acosta is rapidly becoming MotoGP's answer to the breakout star everyone wants to know more about.
And perhaps the most intriguing thing about him? Despite the growing fame, he still seems remarkably normal.
From Fishing Boats to Grand Prix Podiums
Unlike many modern sports stars, Acosta didn't grow up in luxury. He comes from the small fishing town of Mazarron on Spain's Mediterranean coast, where his father worked as a fisherman and his family made significant sacrifices to support his racing dream.
It's a far cry from the glamorous world of international motorsport. While today's MotoGP riders travel between exotic locations and five-star hotels, Acosta still speaks fondly about home and regularly returns to spend time with family and old friends.
His nickname, "The Shark of Mazarron", reflects both his aggressive riding style and his family's connection to the sea.
Not Your Typical Sports Celebrity
If you're expecting polished PR answers and carefully curated social media perfection, Acosta may disappoint.
One of the reasons journalists enjoy interviewing him is because he often says exactly what he's thinking.
When people began calling him "the next Marc Marquez", rather than embracing the comparison, he famously responded that he didn't want to be the next anyone. He wanted to be the first Pedro Acosta.
It's a small detail, but it perfectly captures his personality: confident without appearing arrogant.
Why Women Are Taking Notice
Yes, he's talented.
Yes, he's successful.
But what makes Acosta genuinely appealing is that he feels authentic.
In a sporting world increasingly dominated by media training, sponsorship obligations and polished public images, Acosta still comes across as the funny young guy who would rather be with family than at a celebrity party.
He's known for joking with journalists, teasing fellow riders and occasionally delivering unexpectedly thoughtful answers about life and competition.
There is an openness about him that feels refreshingly genuine.
Pedro Acosta has been dating Desiree Piqueras since February 2024. Desiree is closely connected to the MotoGP world as the sister of Moto3 rider Angel Piqueras, and she occasionally attends races, supporting her brother as well as Acosta. Desiree is a highly ranked Cross Fit athlete with her own significant following.
The couple has maintained a relatively private relationship, with Acosta’s social media primarily focused on his professional career.
Why KTM Values Him So Highly
Acosta currently rides for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing factory MotoGP team alongside Brad Binder. He races the KTM RC16 and is considered the centerpiece of KTM's MotoGP project.
A lot of fans compare KTM's situation with Acosta to what Honda had with a young Marc Márquez a decade ago: a manufacturer building much of its championship hopes around one exceptionally talented rider.
There has been widespread speculation linking Acosta with a future move to Ducati from 2027 onward, but for the 2026 season he remains firmly a KTM factory rider.
The Rivalry Everyone Is Watching
On track, Acosta has become one of the few riders capable of going toe-to-toe with MotoGP legend Marc Marquez.
Their recent battles have provided some of the season's most thrilling moments, with Acosta refusing to be intimidated by one of the greatest riders the sport has ever seen.
For newcomers to MotoGP, think of it as watching the ambitious young challenger taking on the established king.
Even Acosta's biggest supporters often compare his trajectory to a young Márquez. Many fans see the next few seasons as a potential passing-of-the-torch battle between the sport's current legend and its most exciting young star.
There are obvious parallels:
Both arrived in MotoGP as a teenage prodigy.
Both are fearless on corner entry.
Both have a reputation for saving crashes that seem impossible to save.
The Crashes
One of the defining features of Pedro Acosta's career so far has been his willingness to ride right at the limit. That has produced spectacular results—but also a fair number of crashes.
Major Injury: Broken Femur (2022) - His most significant injury came during his rookie Moto2 season. While training off-track, he suffered a fractured left femur, forcing him to miss two Grands Prix. Despite that setback, he returned later that year and won races again, demonstrating the resilience that has become one of his trademarks.
MotoGP Rookie Season Crashes (2024) - Acosta's first MotoGP season was incredibly fast but also crash-prone. Official season statistics showed that he crashed 28 times during the year—the highest total of any MotoGP rider in 2024. Acosta himself attributed much of the learning curve to adapting from Moto2's Dunlop tyres to MotoGP's Michelin tyres. Despite all those falls, he still scored multiple podiums and finished near the front of the championship standings, which is why many observers viewed the crashes as part of a rookie learning process rather than a sign of recklessness.
Scary High-Speed Austrian Crash (2024) - One of his most dramatic MotoGP crashes occurred during practice at the Austrian Grand Prix. He lost control at high speed entering Turn 4 and slid a considerable distance after being thrown from the bike. Fortunately, he escaped without serious injury and later explained that unusually cold tyres were a major factor.
Moto3 Incidents -Back in Moto3, Acosta was involved in several frightening multi-bike accidents. One notable incident at the Circuit of the Americas in 2021 saw him caught up in a high-speed chain-reaction crash after another rider fell in front of the pack. Remarkably, all involved riders escaped serious injury.
What Riders Say About Him
Interestingly, few people in the paddock view Acosta as an overly aggressive or dangerous rider. The more common assessment is that he rides with enormous confidence and often pushes machinery beyond what it should reasonably be capable of.
Why You Should Watch Him
Every sport has athletes who feel destined to become stars long before they reach the very top.
Pedro Acosta is one of those athletes.
He has the speed to win championships, the personality to attract new fans and the grounded background that makes people want to see him succeed.
Whether you're interested in MotoGP for the racing, the rivalries or simply the fascinating personalities behind the helmets, Acosta is one rider worth following.
And if the current trajectory continues, don't be surprised if the fisherman's son from a small Spanish town becomes the biggest name in motorcycle racing.
Pedro's 2026 season highlights so far...
Thailand: The Historic Breakthrough
If you're looking for a milestone performance, then Thailand deserves mention.
Acosta won the Sprint and followed it with second place in the Grand Prix, helping KTM lead the MotoGP championship for the first time in its premier-class history. It was the moment many people realised the 2026 KTM was a genuine front-running machine and that Acosta could be a title contender.
Barcelona: The Statement Weekend
Another standout came in Barcelona, where Acosta dominated practice and took his first pole position of the season. It wasn't a victory, but it demonstrated pure speed over a single lap and showed that he could put the KTM at the very front against Ducati, Aprilia and Yamaha.
Hungary: The Day He Looked Like a Future Champion
Acosta's most impressive performance of 2026 may have been a race he didn't win.
In Hungary, Acosta finished second, but the result doesn't tell the whole story.
He spent half a Grand Prix he went head-to-head with seven-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez in what became one of the season's standout battles. He emerged defeated but the paddock left with a different impression: not that Acosta had lost, but that MotoGP's next great rivalry had arrived.
Couldn't resist a sneaky pic of the other half having his new lid doodled on! Ed