More pieces are falling into place for the 2027 MotoGP grid. Next up? Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. Pedro Acosta departs for a new challenge at Ducati Lenovo Team, and Brad Binder is also set to leave the team. Next year, Álex Márquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio both swap Ducati for KTM and join the factory team.
Acosta And Binder Say Farewell
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are yet another team facing a brand new line up in 2027. Both Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder are set to say farewell to the team.
Acosta joined them in 2025, after a single year in the satellite (customer) team, Red Bull GasGas Tech3. In his second year, he joined Binder and has since become the front-runner of the duo. Achieving eight podiums, a sprint race victory, and a pole position so far, Acosta is one of the rising stars on the MotoGP grid. Next year, he joins the Ducati Lenovo Team, replacing the departing Francesco Bagnaia and partnering Marc Márquez.
Binder has only raced with this team since joining MotoGP in 2020. He’s remained loyal to the KTM manufacturer since his time in Moto3, joining them in 2015. Together, he achieved a Moto3 World Championship as well as a third-place and runner-up in Moto2. Since joining the premier class, he’s shown moments of excelling but hasn’t had the consistency required to truly challenge for a championship. Currently, there are no rumours about where he could go.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
With both current riders departing, the factory team is taking on two riders with proven results and a drive to improve. Both Álex Márquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio will be switching manufacturers—from Ducati to KTM.
“Álex brings not only outstanding skill and race intelligence but also determination and a winning mindset that perfectly matches our DNA. Together we share a clear objective: to take the KTM RC16 to the next level and fight at the very front of MotoGP.”
~ KTM Motorsports Director, Pit Beirer, on Álex Márquez joining the team.“Fabio has clearly made a step to become one of the consistent front-running guys in MotoGP. We cannot question his speed and commitment to delivering the best performance. During our talks we were impressed by how passionate he is to give the maximum on track and off it, and we believe the next chapter together will be exciting and memorable.”
~ Beirer on Di Giannantonio’s signing.
Álex Márquez
With Moto3 and Moto2 championships to his name, Márquez consistently delivered results in his junior career. He joined the premier class alongside Binder in 2020, initially going into the Repsol Honda Team. Two podiums in his rookie campaign gave a glimpse of what he could achieve.
He’s consistently improved, culminating in an outstanding 2025 season. Earning his maiden win and coming second overall, last year saw him secure BK8 Gresini Racing their best finish in the championship. 2026 has been harder, with injuries seeing him miss rounds.
However, looking forward, he will return to the KTM manufacturer. Márquez achieved his first ever podium and win with KTM, in Moto3 in 2014. This will be the third manufacturer Márquez has ridden for whilst in MotoGP. KTM show moments of greatness, but reliability issues have plagued them in recent years. With new regulations incoming, the team will be hoping Márquez can help steer them towards growth with his technical knowledge.
Fabio Di Giannantonio
Also swapping Ducati for KTM is Di Giannantonio. Whilst he has no championships to his name; like Márquez, he has achieved wins in each division he has competed in. He was one of five rookies to join MotoGP in 2022, alongside Raúl Fernández and Marco Bezzecchi. Since joining, he has been on Ducati-powered machinery—first with Gresini, then the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team.
A slow rookie year has made way for constant progression and growth in his career. Each year, Di Giannantonio has improved and has worked up the standings. In 2026, he is fighting for the title and proving that consistent results are crucial. Nine rounds in, he sits third in the standings with a win and multiple podiums across both sprint and feature races.
With 31 career podiums and five career wins, Di Giannantonio knows how to extract everything from his bike. Next year, he partners with KTM for the first time. With a track record of growth and consistency, he can bring passion and focus to the team.
MotoGP Grid is Shaping Up
With the factory KTM team announcing their riders, over half the MotoGP grid is set in place now. They are the fifth team to confirm both riders. Considering their reliability issues, having a pair of technical and growth-oriented riders should help KTM deliver consistent results. Like with many other teams, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing have an all-new line-up in 2027. Whilst that means there’s likely to be an adjustment period, the hope is that having two top-level riders will prove fruitful.
12 seats are confirmed, and 10 remain. Will Binder swap teams, or will he be left on the side lines? The 2027 MotoGP grid is shaping up, but it is far from over.