Oscar Piastri pushes for Pedro Acosta to clash with Marc Márquez: The case for the ultimate matchup

The opening Sprint race of the year gave us an early look at what a Marquez vs Acosta title fight might offer. The two riders went head-to-head in a thrilling contest, though it was eventually decided by a penalty against #93.

Although Acosta isn’t expected to challenge for the championship this year due to KTM’s ongoing issues, and Marquez’s own title hopes are still unclear, both riders are expected to link up as Ducati teammates in 2027.

Acosta is set to replace Francesco Bagnaia, giving McLaren driver Piastri the matchup he’s hoping for. “That would be really cool to see,” Piastri said when asked about the potential title clash. “Marquez – I think this year [2025] was really impressive from him, but to see Pedro on a bike that can compete with that would be really good to see for all of us.”

At just 21, Acosta has already drawn comparisons to the 33-year-old Marquez, setting up a classic master vs apprentice narrative that would add another layer of intrigue if they do end up fighting for the championship.

Oscar Piastri on Pedro Acosta’s ‘impressive’ speed in karting

Piastri and Acosta, who are both backed by Quad Lock, recently spent time together at a karting track.

The Australian said Acosta was quick on four wheels, so much so that a few Formula 1 drivers doubted how good his lap times were.

“He was impressively quick. I reckon he had a go-kart before and he just didn’t tell anyone! The track we went to is near Monaco, so there’s a lot of F1 drivers around there that use it.

“I told a few of them, ‘Pedro was actually really fast’ and they all said it was b——-. If he didn’t have a go-kart and that was his first time, very, very impressive.

“He’s obviously incredibly talented on two wheels, so it wouldn’t be that surprising if he was good on four wheels. I was genuinely impressed with how good he was.”

Acosta’s day job might be different from Piastri’s, but the Spaniard proved he can handle himself in karts. Unlike Lewis Hamilton, who once tested Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha bike, the Australian isn’t interested in riding MotoGP bikes due to injury concerns.