MotoGP
He’s won a Grand Prix starting from the pits and Marc Márquez is tipping him for the top. This is why you should take notice of Moto3™ new boy Pedro Acosta.
“Pedro Acosta is good. Very good. I think that he will win this year, but let’s not put pressure on the kid.” Those are the words of eight-time motorcycle world champion Marc Márquez and the plaudits from one of the greatest riders ever to race on two wheels are not unfounded.
But who is Pedro Acosta and why is Márquez tipping him for the Moto3™ title?
One reason is that he has won two of the first three Moto3™ races in his rookie season. Another is down to his jaw-dropping performance at the Doha Grand Prix where the Venezuaelan-born, Spanish rider sensationally won round two at the Losail International Circuit after starting from the pit lane.
In one of the stand out rides ever witnessed in any of the three MotoGP™ classes, Acosta started from the pits alongside six other riders, all of whom had incurred penalties in qualifying – and shrugged it off to scythe his way to the front and beat Darryn Binder by 0.039 seconds.
On race day I wake up and I say to my assistant Paco, “mate, we can do it!
Unsurprisingly, following news of his penalty and subsequent pit lane start, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider wasn’t completely confident of victory as he prepared for just his second Grand Prix start.
“When the team told me I had to start from the pit lane, things seemed a little bit dark,” admitted Costa, “but on race day I wake up and I say to my assistant Paco, “mate, we can do it!
"When you work with amazing people and an amazing team everything is easier. The night before the race I thought maybe I could make the top 10, but not win the race.”
Starting from the pits, Acosta slotted in behind Sergio Garcia before quickly leading the pack of six pit lane-starting riders and by the end of lap one was just 11 seconds behind leader Gabriel Rodrigo. Over the next 10 laps Acosta made his way to the front, hunting down late-race leader Binder to pass and lead the final lap.
From there Acosta was forced to switch from attack to defence and expertly fended off the experienced Petronas Sprinta rider Binder on the final lap, resisting intense pressure from the South African to clinch his maiden Grand Prix victory in truly unforgettable fashion.
To those in the know, Acosta’s recent performances are no surprise. After impressive displays in the FIM CEV Moto3™ Junior World Championship, in 2019 Acosta was handed a chance to show off his talents in the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup, which since 2007 has provided a stage for young, up-and-coming motorcycle riders to make a name in the sport.
MotoGP™ stars such as Johann Zarco, Brad Binder and reigning MotoGP™ champion Joan Mir have all benefited from the programme and Acosta is looking to be the latest graduate to climb the ladder to MotoGP™ success.
“I had a lot of fun, the Red Bull Rookies Cup was everything for me,” affirmed Acosta. “In 2019 I didn’t have a ride and they gave me the opportunity and I think that I learned a lot in both years.
"In the first year I was a little bit nervous, but then in the second year I improved my mental approach because I relaxed more in qualifying. Away from the bike I had a lot of fun with the staff and those were the best two years of my life in racing.”
I had a lot of fun, the Red Bull Rookies Cup was everything for me
And in those two years, which included negotiating the disruptive effects of a global pandemic, Acosta laid a foundation for his growing reputation in Moto3™.
His first year with the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup yielded three victories and second overall in the championship standings. In 2020, Acosta went one better, winning the first six races en route to the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup crown and for the rider who races under the flag of Spain, it's one of his triumphs on home soil that stands out.
Acosta added: “If I have to choose one race I’d choose the first week in Aragon where I go and win the race by five seconds. This victory was important because I had some problems and I didn’t have the mentality that I have now. This race helped me to grow up and to improve my mental strength.”
The world of Moto3™ competition is a particularly fast and furious realm. Bumping, barging and frantic slipstreaming are the order of the day on race weekend and Acosta will be looking to maintain his speed and develop his maturity to emerge as a champion and make history as the youngest ever world champion, snatching the mantle from MotoGP legend Loris Capirossi, who won the 125cc world title in 1990 aged just 17.
Despite a second-placed finish, a headline making maiden victory in the opening brace of races at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar and a follow up victory at the Portimão Circuit, Portugal, Acosta is naturally not getting ahead of himself. Thoughts of making history and winning championships are a long way down the road and being a Grand Prix-winning rider will not alter his approach to racing.
“Nothing has changed,” confirmed Acosta when asked about his newly acquired status. “This is my first year in the championship. Maybe at some circuits I will have more problems than in Portimão and Qatar, but we'll see. We don’t have pressure and maybe if we keep working like we have been since November we can do some good results from now until the end of the year.”
