Метка: Pedro Acosta

Acosta proves KTM MotoGP bike ‘can help good riders be instantly quick’

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Acosta has been the hottest prospect in the grand prix paddock from the off in Moto3 in 2021 and has already stunned in his first three rounds in the premier class.

Securing a maiden grand prix podium with third at the Portuguese GP in round two, Acosta was seconded at the Americas GP having led for a while.

Currently just 26 points off the championship lead in fourth, the young Spaniard has been lavished with praise from his rivals – many of whom believe he will win a race soon and can even fight for the title this year.

Pedrosa has also been stunned by Acosta’s form but says the most important thing for himself and KTM is what the rookie is proving about the bike.

«I mean, watching on TV for sure his riding style and his lines are a bit different from other riders,» he said ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

«We are happy that he is performing very well, because to have a rookie jump on the bike not knowing tyres, class, etc, and being at the front immediately, this is good for us, for the team, because it means our bike is capable of helping good talent to be up front immediately.

Dani Pedrosa

Dani Pedrosa

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«So, we are happy on that side. Obviously, the results are coming also because he is very motivated. We are overall very happy about his performance.»

Pedrosa, who is wildcarding for KTM this weekend at Jerez, says he is keen to see what Acosta looks like on track in front of him this weekend.

The 31-time MotoGP race winner also doesn’t rule out the possibility of Acosta becoming the youngest ever grand prix victor this weekend given his progression already.

«I’m curious, in the Sepang tests we tried to find a time to ride together, but he had a problem with the bike and we couldn’t,» Pedrosa added.

«I couldn’t see him, he followed me for a couple of laps but then when I was going to follow him I had the problem.

«Let’s see if we can meet here at some point. I hope he gives me a little wheel [a tow] here.

«I wouldn’t know how to answer this question, but given the progression we are seeing it would be possible, it is not impossible.»

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The weekly reality check that has kept MotoGP hype off of Acosta so far in 2024

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


The 19-year-old reigning Moto2 champion’s debut in MotoGP was highly anticipated over the winter, and it has so far lived up to expectations.

Ninth in the Qatar opener after an early charge through the field gave way to a maiden podium in Portugal with third, before Acosta led the Americas GP for a short while on his way to second.

As a result, many are predicting Acosta to win a grand prix sooner rather than later, with the Tech3 rider amongst the favourites at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Asked on Thursday at Jerez – where he won in his first Moto3 season in 2021 – if he finds it difficult to keep his feet on the ground, Acosta spoke of a glimpse of «real life» he gets from fishermen while training at home in Mazarron as a key thing.

«Not too much,» Acosta, whose father is a fisherman, said.

«At the end, I bike every week at home and I see the fishermen trying to take something for it [their work].

«I see how real life is and how people are working hard like that. For this, maintaining the feet on the ground [approach] when you see that is quite normal.»

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Coming into this weekend’s fourth round of the season, KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa said he wants to follow Acosta to see how he is on track on the RC16.

Acosta says he wants the opposite because he has «much to learn» from a rider he describes as «not a ‘normal’ guy».

«For sure I will follow him,» he said of Pedrosa’s remarks.

«You know the experience this guy has in this track, or how much experience this guy has on a MotoGP bike.

«It’s awesome. Also, when you are talking with him, you are not talking with a ‘normal’ guy or a ‘normal’ rider.

«You know his mind has history, from his days in 125s and 250s. For this I have much to learn from him than him from me.»

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Could Acosta get a Verstappen-like mid-season promotion to KTM in MotoGP 2024?

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But ahead of the fifth round of the season in Barcelona, Red Bull took a bold decision to instigate a driver swap, promoting Verstappen to its primary team at the cost of Kvyat, who was shuffled down to Toro Rosso.

The sudden change in the two line-ups attracted criticism from some quarters, but Red Bull’s decision was vindicated when Verstappen capitalised on a collision between Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to score a sensational victory in his first race with the outfit.

Could history repeat itself? There are certainly some comparisons to draw between that situation and what the Red Bull-sponsored KTM operation faces in MotoGP this year.

Like Red Bull, it has another rising star plying his trade at the secondary GasGas Tech3 team. And much like eight years ago, demoting another rider in its stable for him would attract some backlash from both those within and outside the KTM family.

But just three rounds into the season, rookie Acosta’s performances have already led many to cast him in the same mould as Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez, Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner, all of whom were rapid from the get-go in their premier class careers.
Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Photo by: Rob Gray / Polarity Photo

Acota finished ninth on his debut in Qatar, before scoring an incredible podium finish in his second race weekend in Portugal. He then claimed second in the Americas GP earlier this month, only beaten by runaway winner Maverick Vinales on the Aprilia. He has been rapid in sprint races too, claiming eighth, seventh and fourth in his first three appearances. 

Thus, in the six races he has competed in so far, including three sprints, he has finished ahead of Binder four times and beaten Miller on five occasions. 

In the overall standings, Acosta is already the top rider from the two KTM teams in fourth place, two spots ahead of Binder and six positions clear of Miller. 

The progress Acosta has made in these three events is also astounding. Since the Qatar round, where Binder scored two second-place finishes, the Spaniard has never been beaten by the KTM talisman — and that has begun to mount pressure on the South African.

Acosta’s results are also significantly better than what Verstappen achieved in the first four rounds of 2016 — his second season in F1 — with the Dutchman finishing 10th, 6th and 8th in Australia, Bahrain and China respectively before retiring from Russia. But like in Acosta’s case, it was clear that Red Bull had a champion in the waiting.

Can KTM make a similar driver change?

As far as the regulations are concerned, nothing prevents KTM from promoting Acosta to its flagship team and shuffling Miller or Binder down to GasGas.

In terms of technical personnel, it won’t be a major issue either as it is the factory staff that manages Acosta’s side of the GasGas garage. As such, they will only have to swap their red polos for orange while making the switch to KTM Factory Racing.

Verstappen was moved up to Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix

Verstappen was moved up to Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

However, commercial commitments and the need to prioritise personal relations could force KTM to remain patient and wait until the end of the season before giving Acosta his big shot. 

That’s because there are at least two key people who could be left upset by an early promotion for Acosta in MotoGP. First is Miller, who is most likely to face a demotion to GasGas if the 19-year-old does end up moving to KTM. The Australian is liked by the factory and is already reaching the end of his two-year contract, which means a 2025 swap would be better for their relations.

The second figure who could also be impacted by such an early switch is Herve Poncharal, the owner of Tech3 and the president of MotoGP teams’ association, the IRTA, since 2006. The Frenchman is one of the most respected persons in the paddock and an honest team boss, so dismantling his team’s line-up in the middle of the year would lead to difficulties, especially in terms of sponsor and commercial commitments. 

Having said that, the results are what matter the most in MotoGP and it is important to understand the Austrian mentality, which is not used to being carried away by sentiment.

To highlight that, it is important to note that Red Bull did not sponsor the GasGas Tech 3 team during the 2023 season when it ran Fernandez and Pol Espargaro, but it returned as a major commercial partner this year with the arrival of Acosta. KTM, which actually pays for the contracts, doesn’t appear anywhere on the bike and the motorcycle.
As they say, history repeats itself. The next MotoGP race, the fourth round of the season, is in Spain. Jorge Lorenzo predicted Jerez could be the venue where Pedro Acosta will score his first premier class win. Will it be with GasGas or KTM?



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Rossi-like Acosta can’t be ruled out of MotoGP title fight

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Ahead of the fourth event of the season at Jerez this weekend, Acosta is fourth in the standings, just two points behind third-placed Maverick Vinales and five points behind second-placed Enea Bastianini.

The Spaniard is the best-placed of the four KTM riders, with factory man Brad Binder five points behind him in sixth and Jack Miller 32 points adrift in 10th. Acosta’s team-mate Augusto Fernandez has only seven points to his tally compared to his score of 54.

With Acosta now more adapted to the new ecosystem and his GasGas Tech3 team, most of his rivals believe that the next natural objective, victory, will come sooner rather than later.

The 19-year-old from Murcia has been on the podium in Portimao and Austin, the last two events on the calendar.

He failed to reach the podium in his first race in Qatar due to a combination of factors including the high degradation of the tyres as a result of his aggressiveness, and the pain in his forearm, a consequence of the bad positioning of the lever of the rear height device.

«Pedro reminds me of those big names who once made it to MotoGP: Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo or Casey Stoner,» Marquez told Motorsport.com

«Those who in the first or second races were already fighting for pole, podiums and victories. This year he will get podiums, as he has already done, and also victories. And why not fight for a world championship, like others did.»

The widespread feeling in the paddock is that Acosta has shaken up the championship and especially the KTM group, although there are those, like Marquez, who believe that the youngster’s talent has not caught anyone by surprise, because it was a foregone conclusion.

Marquez says he was not at all surprised by Acosta’s breakthrough in MotoGP, and believes that KTM was well aware of the potential of the young rookie, who has scored two podiums in his first three races in the top class.

«I don’t think Pedro shook up the KTM group,» Marquez said. «They knew exactly what they had. I think they expected it; at least I expected it.

«When you analyse the things he did in Moto3 and Moto2, you knew he would get to MotoGP and go fast. It’s his natural process,» added Marquez, who is eighth in the standings, 16 points behind Acosta.

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2024 MotoGP title «not the priority» as expectations mount

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Although there were high hopes for Acosta given his stellar record in junior categories, the Tech3 GasGas rider has defined even the loftiest of expectations by becoming the youngest rider to score back-to-back podiums, as he followed his third place in Portugal last month with a second-place finish in the Americas GP on Sunday.

This has propelled the Spaniard to fourth in the standings, 26 points behind championship leader Jorge Martin on Pramac but ahead of defending champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) and the factory KTM of Brad Binder.

With Acosta showing he can take the fight to the very best in the premier class, there have been suggestions that he could potentially win the title in his rookie season — something not witnessed since Marc Marquez’s sensational debut campaign with the factory Honda team in 2013.

But the 19-year-old is not allowing himself to be weighed down by expectations, as he insists his focus at the moment is not on mounting a title bid.

«Let’s start to think [about the next round] in Jerez and not about the championship,» he said. «All the people talking around, it’s only pressure. 

«We are in a sweet moment with the bike, with the team, with Pierer Mobility. 

«Let’s enjoy this moment and cross the fingers for sure if we can fight for the championship. It’s a long season, but it’s not the priority now.»

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Photo by: Rob Gray / Polarity Photo

Acosta led the early stages of Sunday’s grand prix at the Circuit of Americas and returned to the front when Marquez crashed out on lap 11 with what he described as an ‘unexpected brake problem’.

But a maiden MotoGP win wasn’t to be for Acosta in Austin, as polesitter Maverick Vinales recovered from a poor start to snatch the top spot on lap 13.

Asked if he thought he could catch the Aprilia rider late in the race, the reigning Moto2 champion conceded that his countryman was in a different league to the rest of the field.

«No one in this world can catch him today,» he said of Vinales. «You only have to see the pace. Also, when I see him from [Saturday], the pace that he had in the sprint, [he] was on another world. 

«It was difficult. I tried, when [he] passed me I tried to block him. But he was really good. 

«Also, I was talking with him and when he passed me I was trying to brake harder into Turn 12 and it was impossible. Today was not my day.»

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Watch: MotoGP: Vinales recovers from 11th to win | 2024 #AmericasGP



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The real key in Acosta’s stunning start to life in MotoGP

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Acosta’s impressive march through the field in the Qatar GP to run as high as fourth because sliding down to ninth already grabbed attention.

But it was a similar charge from seventh on the grid last time out in Portugal that culminated in a maiden podium in third, after Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales crashed out on the last lap, that looks to have set the tone for the rest of Acosta’s year.

While much has been made about his riding ability – something well documented from his Moto3 days in 2021 – he alluded to something after his Portugal podium that points to the real key in his success so far.

«I only have good words for the whole team because it’s not so easy to come to a MotoGP bike, with a new track, with a new experience for us, it’s not easy to manage my head because I know that I’m not the easiest person in a race weekend,» he candidly admitted.

«They are working like hell. Every morning that I wake up I have like 20 messages from my data [engineer] and my crew chief, having many things and many photos to check, to understand where to improve.»

He added: «The team is making the way much easier. They are managing my head super well, I know that I am not the easiest person on a race weekend sometimes.»

Acosta has spoken at length about the pressure he has been under since his grand prix debut in 2021 and how now it is a normal part of his life.

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Photo by: Rob Gray / Polarity Photo

But with constant comparisons to other MotoGP greats and predictions of wins and even titles in his rookie year, there are still many mental hurdles for him to surmount.

The team KTM and Tech3 have assembled around him, helmed by veteran crew chief Paul Trevathan, is clearly keeping the 19-year-old in check as he learns the ropes in MotoGP.

That environment is one which is also allowing Acosta to maximise his learning experience and do so while embracing mistakes.

It is this that has led Tech3 team boss Herve Poncharal to coin a unique nickname for Acosta.

«We have a new rider, a rookie, but the incredible thing is that he has no pressure,» Poncharal told Canal+.

«He says: ‘Don’t be nervous, guys, I feel good, I’m not stressed at all, and all I need is to ride and ride to learn.’

«He made an average start in the sprint [in Qatar], then he came back well. He told me, ‘It’s good to make mistakes at the beginning, I’m learning’, so I’ve always used that term since the beginning of the year: we call him SpongeBob, because he learns and [he] records everything.

«I didn’t say anything in particular to him, other than: ‘Keep doing your job, what you’ve been doing since your first laps in MotoGP. It’s just what we need.'»

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Why MotoGP’s star rookie Acosta has already got KTM orbiting around him

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Pedro Acosta’s third place in last weekend’s MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix makes him the third youngest rider in the premium category ever to score a podium. Only Randy Mamola (19 years and 261 days) and Eduardo Salatino (19 days and 274 days) have managed the feat at a younger age than Acosta, who ascended the Portimao rostrum on Sunday at the age of 19 years and 304 days.

Without detracting from Mamola and Salatino’s achievements, and assuming that comparisons between athletes from different eras are always distorted, it is clear that the current level of competition in the world championship makes the rookie’s feat a memorable one.

Since the arrival of Marc Marquez in 2013, no newcomer has performed at the level of the Tech3 youngster, who has already proven capable of stealing the limelight from such established stars as Francesco Bagnaia and even Marquez himself.

Despite having only been in MotoGP for two grands prix, the stats that accompany the youngster from Murcia and the calculations made by Pierer Mobility of what is to come place Acosta in a privileged position to become the spearhead of Stefan Pierer’s group. In fact, if we pay attention to those who spoke about him at the Algarve circuit, he probably already is.

In Qatar, his first race in the premier class, Acosta finished ninth in the main race, but was hampered in the final laps by an overload in his arm as a result of the forced movement he had to make to activate the rear height device, which had changed position from the one he had occupied in the pre-season test.

That problem, coupled with a very aggressive riding style that doesn’t take great care of the tyres, dropped him back from having the podium in his sights with eight laps to go. But he still had time to record the fastest lap, making him the youngest ever to do so.

With the lever repositioned for the second round on the calendar, Acosta let loose in Portugal. In an era when most of the grid agrees that overtaking is virtually impossible with the prominent aerodynamics of today’s bikes, the ‘Shark’ went on a binge.

Acosta made remarkable progress through the pack in Sunday's race, sending out a statement by passing reigning champion Bagnaia

Acosta made remarkable progress through the pack in Sunday’s race, sending out a statement by passing reigning champion Bagnaia

Photo by: Dorna

After starting seventh, he completed the first lap in the same spot but lost one on lap four. From there, he waited for things to calm down a bit before unleashing an attack that saw him overhaul Jack Miller (seventh) and Brad Binder (sixth), his theoretical leaders at KTM.

Acosta then attacked Marquez to move up to fifth, behind Bagnaia, whom he studied for a long time. He overtook the reigning champion with four laps to go, before Maverick Vinales’ Aprilia broke down with less than four kilometres to go before the chequered flag, serving Acosta a podium slot on a silver platter.

As soon as he had finished, his rivals could only surrender to the confidence of their predator with the face of a child who had astonished them with the way he made the bike bend to his whim.

Acosta’s agreement has several variables and an expiration date set for 2025 — provided that KTM agrees to place him in its works team — or that he decides to opt out. The Austrian manufacturer has no power over him for 2026

«I said it before and I say it again; Pedro is going to achieve great things this year,» said Marquez. «He will score podiums and victories, and who knows if he won’t fight for the title?

«I have always been lucky to have team-mates who have pushed me to be better, and he is no exception,» added Binder. «I hope that, together, we can take this project to success.»

«He’s not really on top of the bike, he’s out of the bike a lot,» observed Miller. «He has everything touching the ground. Looks like his head is about to touch the ground at some point. The style is impressive, especially when you look behind. I can only wish to ride like that. I’m a little less stylish, maybe.

«We have improved this KTM an incredible amount in the last 12 months, he’s taking full advantage of it. Now we need to use him as a target and try to understand what he is doing differently and learn from him.»

«If it’s impressive to see what he does in the races, you should see the videos he sends us when he’s training,» an authoritative Tech3 team member tells Motorsport.com. «I didn’t think anyone could lean that much on a 1000cc street bike!

Miller has utmost respect for Acosta's riding style

Miller has utmost respect for Acosta’s riding style

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«The good thing about Pedro is that he’s going straight ahead. We all know that he has set himself a goal and he’s going for it. Politics and games don’t interest him, and that’s a good thing in a company like this.»

There are indicators that reflect the relevance that Acosta has in the current ecosystem of the Pierer Mobility group. For starters, the treatment he has achieved on a sporting level, from which his team-mate also benefits.

«Pedro is getting to be treated as an official rider for all intents and purposes,» acknowledges Augusto Fernandez. «They’re not going to take away any of the parts that Brad and Jack have, because he’s earned it.»

In fact, KTM had to make an effort to provide Acosta with the carbon chassis that he has been using since pre-season, and which, due to company policy, has also been made available to Fernandez.

On a contractual level, the Moto3 (2021) and Moto2 (2023) world champion is not as locked in as Pierer would like, although Acosta himself is grateful for the efforts and treatment he receives every time a microphone is put in front of him. His agreement has several variables and an expiration date set for 2025 — provided that KTM agrees to place him in its works team — or that he decides to opt out. The Austrian manufacturer has no power over him for 2026.

At this stage, there is no indication of a possible departure, but neither is there an absolute guarantee that he will stay.

«The team is making it much easier for me,» concedes Acosta. «I’m not the easiest person on a race weekend, but the guys are helping me a lot. Every day I wake up with 20 messages from my engineers on my phone, with a lot of information that is very useful for me.»

It is understood that currently the sporting project prevails as the priority aspect, even ahead of the economic side. What is clear is that Acosta will use this situation to get the most out of it, just as he does with the bike he rides.

Acosta has quickly emerged as one of KTM's most precious assets

Acosta has quickly emerged as one of KTM’s most precious assets

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images



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Miller «can only wish to ride» KTM like MotoGP rookie Acosta

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Building on his strong debut showing in Qatar just a fortnight earlier, GasGas Tech3 rider Acosta rose from seventh on the grid to take third in Sunday’s grand prix at Portimao, finishing behind the Ducatis of Jorge Martin and Enea Bastianini.

But while scoring a rostrum in only second race weekend was a feat in itself, the 19-year-old also caught the attention with how easily he could pass factory KTM riders, sending his bike up the inside of Miller at Turn 1 on lap five before repeating that move on Brad Binder two tours later.

Having witnessed the contrast between his and Acosta’s riding in the intra-KTM battle in Portugal, Miller feels there are a number of things he can learn from the young Spaniard.

«He’s not really on top of the bike, he’s out of the bike a lot,» Miller quipped. «He has everything touching the ground. Looks like his head is about to touch the ground at some point.

«The style is impressive, especially when you look behind. I can only wish to ride like that. I’m a little less stylish, maybe.

«He’s riding well, he can put the bike where he wants to. That’s a positive thing.

«We have improved this KTM an incredible amount in the last 12 months, he’s taking full advantage of it.

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«Now we need to use him as a target and try to understand what he is doing differently and learn from him. I’m 29 but I’m still learning every race.»

Asked if younger riders are bringing this new riding style to MotoGP, he added: «100%. You only need to look at [Jorge] Martin and him, these guys are touching everything on the ground.

«If you look at my style back in 2016, to what it is now, my style has changed quite a lot.

«But obviously not enough, I need to keep working on it. I’ll go back and do some more pilates.»

Entering lap five, Binder had got a great run on Miller to the long main straight, which also gave Acosta an opportunity to snatch a position from the Australian into Turn 1.

After Acosta managed to make a pass on Binder as well, neither factory KTM rider could put up a counterattack on the reigning Moto2 champion, who went on to overtake champions Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia before moving to third on the final lap when Maverick Vinales crashed with a gearbox issue.

Miller said he and Binder «had our tongues hanging out» while trying to repass Acosta, but they were simply no match to the satellite KTM rider.

«I didn’t really have a chance [against Acosta],» he said.

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

«Me and Brad got pretty close in the braking zone and I ended up off the kerbs. I left the door open for Pedro.

«Pedro rode fantastic. Once he got past Brad, he kind of just put the hammer down.

«Brad and I both had our tongues hanging out trying to chase him down but we couldn’t do anything about it. He looked good on the bike.»

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Acosta “cannot expect anything” despite rookie MotoGP podium breakthrough

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The 19-year-old Tech3 rider put in another headline-grabbing ride in Sunday’s grand prix at the Algarve International Circuit, as he came through from seventh on the grid.

First dispatching his factory KTM counterparts Jack Miller and Brad Binder early on in the 25-lap race, Acosta then put overtakes on Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia to move up to fourth in the closing stages.

That became third when Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales suffered a suspected gearbox issue on the last lap and crashed, gifting Acosta a first MotoGP podium in just his second round.

One of the most hyped prospects in the paddock for many years, Acosta has once again moved to downplay expectations of being able to score more podiums in the coming races.

“Well, there’s still a ways to go,” Acosta said.

“This is only the beginning. We have to have our foot on the ground and understand that this was a really nice weekend, but maybe in America it’s going to be tough or maybe in Jerez.

“I don’t really know because every race for us is going to be a question mark because there are going to be any new tracks on a MotoGP bike before arriving to Malaysia [where I tested in February].

“For this, we need to be calm because it’s a long season.

“We cannot expect anything because it’s quite soon but very happy with how the guys are managing the bike and managing my head.”

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Acosta says the final lap of the race was his slowest as he suddenly realised he was in a podium position following Vinales’ exit.

“Well, also the team showed me one message on the [pit] board, it was like ‘calm’,” he added.

“With P4, it was [reading] ‘calm’. And I said, ‘ok, four seconds behind, now we will try to be calm and not make any mess and get back with the bike to the box’, because even if this lap was slow it was going to be enough.

“And I was just riding and when I saw he was wide and crashing, then I said ‘Ok, now you can’t do anything bad!’

“Also if you check the race from the air, I was wide everywhere and making some mistakes, and I think it was the slowest lap of my race.”

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