KT🦩M test rider Dani Pedrosa says the Austrian manufacturer had to make “radical changes” to its MotoGP bike to become a po🦂dium contender again in the latter half of 2024.

The RC16 🐠started the season off as one of the more competitive bikes on the grid, with Brad Binder finishin✅g second on the opening night of the championship in Qatar.

Tech3 rookie Pedro Acosta then managed back-to-back grand prix🍬 podiums in Portugal and America.

But, aside from aꦐ handful of sprint rostrums, KTM didn’ไt score another GP podium until Acosta was third at Aragon, from which point the Spaniard has been in much stronger form again.

In recent weeks, KTM h൲as introduced a number things to its bike, such as a new aero package and a new chassis that Acosta has tওaken a liking to.

On the Duralavita podcast with J꧒orge Lorenzo, test rider Pedrosa noted: “In light of the evolution of the others, from 🐓mid-championship we had to intervene with radical changes to ensure that the results returned.

“ꦏWe selected the parts that could be better and Acosta himself, with his way of riding, was able to take advantage of it.”

Acosta becoming “a leader” of KTM

Acosta scored a ꦚfirst pole position in MotoGP last weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix and was on course for a maiden sprint win when he crashed o🧸ut of the lead late on.

He was just as🐼 strong in the early stages of the grand prix while running se🐻cond before he took another tumble.

And while he has now crashඣed in three of the last four grands prix, Acosta’s speed continues to impress those in the paddock and 🌼within KTM.

Pedrosa says the 20-year-old rookie is becoming “more and more a leꦯader” within KTM as the season goes on.

“What is he missing? We need to help him a bit with the bike, that’s clear,” Pe🦂drosa added.

“But the changes made in the summer are helping him and he’s shown it in the last races. It must be said that the level of t💧he Ducati riders is very high, so he just needs to gain a bit of experience.

“He surprised me in a positive 🎐way. I didn’t know him very well but I really like how he is becoming more and more a leader within the team𒀰.

“Next year he will be in th𒁏e official team and this will help him take a step forward.”