Pedro Acosta Tops Barcelona MotoGP Test as KTM Dominates Ahead of Mugello

Catalunya, Barcelona, May 19, 2026: Pedro Acosta bounced back from a dramatic Catalan Grand Prix weekend to finish fastest in the official MotoGP Barcelona Test on Monday, leading a strong showing for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Acosta topped the timesheets with a late flying lap during the morning session, edging out Fabio Quartararo by just 0.064 seconds, while Enea Bastianini completed the top three. Only 0.117 seconds separated the leading trio, with the top 13 riders covered by less than one second.

The Barcelona MotoGP Test ended early after heavy rain flooded the circuit during the lunch break, preventing riders from returning to the track for afternoon running.

Pedro Acosta Leads KTM Charge After Catalan GP Drama

Acosta carried over the impressive pace he displayed throughout the Catalan GP weekend despite suffering heartbreak during Sunday’s race following a technical issue and a final-lap crash.

The young KTM star quickly found rhythm during testing and eventually secured P1 despite minor technical problems early in the session.

KTM enjoyed a highly encouraging day overall, placing three bikes inside the top four positions. Bastianini delivered a strong recovery after a disappointing race weekend by finishing third for Red Bull KTM Tech3.

Meanwhile, Maverick Viñales continued his positive momentum with fourth place, praising improvements made to the front end of the KTM RC16. Viñales confirmed the team expects additional upgrades to arrive in upcoming races.

Brad Binder ended the session in 12th place while evaluating components already introduced during previous rounds.

Fabio Quartararo Encouraged by Yamaha Progress

Quartararo finished second for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP and expressed satisfaction with the grip levels experienced at Barcelona, although he credited much of the improvement to the heavily rubbered-in circuit conditions.

The 2021 MotoGP World Champion tested Yamaha’s updated front wing package and finished only a few tenths away from his qualifying pace, providing optimism for the Japanese manufacturer.

Teammate Alex Rins finished 13th and remained within one second of Acosta’s benchmark lap.

At Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, Jack Miller placed 16th while triple WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu finished 19th after completing 45 laps — the highest tally of any rider during the session.

Jorge Martin Escapes Serious Injury After Crash

There was concern for reigning world champion Jorge Martin after the Aprilia Racing rider crashed at Turn 7 during the morning session.

Martin was taken to hospital for precautionary medical checks following the incident, but examinations confirmed there were no fractures or broken bones. The Spaniard is expected to rest ahead of the upcoming Mugello Grand Prix.

Before the crash, Martin had been evaluating aerodynamic updates on the Aprilia RS-GP machine.

Trackhouse Racing riders Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura completed a productive setup-focused day, finishing fifth and sixth respectively as the leading Aprilia riders.

Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi finished 11th overall after a challenging Barcelona weekend.

Ducati Focuses on Development Work in Barcelona

Several Ducati riders were absent from testing due to injuries sustained during the Catalan GP weekend.

Marc Marquez remained sidelined through injury, while brother Alex Marquez continued recovering from his Sunday crash. Fabio Di Giannantonio also skipped the test following injuries suffered during a red-flag incident.

Top Ducati honours went to rookie Fermin Aldeguer, who secured seventh place for BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP.

Franco Morbidelli finished eighth for Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, while double MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia continued testing Ducati’s updated swingarm package on his factory machine and ended the day in 10th place.

Honda Continues Technical Development

Diogo Moreira emerged as Honda’s fastest rider in ninth place for LCR Honda after focusing heavily on setup improvements.

Factory Honda riders Luca Marini and Joan Mir tested several technical upgrades, including revised aerodynamic fairings, a modified swingarm and a smaller exhaust configuration.

Johann Zarco missed the test after sustaining injuries in a heavy Turn 1 crash during Sunday’s Catalan Grand Prix.

With KTM, Yamaha and Aprilia all showing strong pace in Barcelona testing, attention now turns to Mugello as the 2026 MotoGP World Championship heads into a crucial phase of the season.