MotoGP’s precocious new talent Pedro Acosta targets maiden victory at Japanese Grand Prix

At 20 years and 133 days old, Pedro Acosta became, on Saturday October 5, during qualifying practice for the Japanese MotoGP Grand Prix in Motegi, the third youngest rider to take pole position in the premier category. The Spaniard is only ahead of his compatriot Marc Marquez (who was 20 years and 63 days old at the time), holder of eight world titles, and by the French Fabio Quartararo (20 years and 14 days old), world champion in 2021.

Unlike his illustrious elders, Pedro Acosta, however, has not yet added his name to the list of Grand Prix winners in MotoGP. But, starting from first place, Sunday at 7 a.m. (Paris time), about a hundred kilometers north of the sprawling capital Tokyo, the rookie (beginner) of the 2024 season will be able to legitimately aim for victory. “I’m happy because we’re getting closer to the goal we’re aiming for”he declared on Saturday after qualifying.

For his first season in this category, the driver of the KTM Gasgas Tech3 team – a team founded in 1989 by former French driver Hervé Poncharal – came close to victory on several occasions, taking three places on the podium. Pedro Acosta, second in Indonesia last week, is, without a doubt, in a good period. “For four or five races, we have been able to put everything together better and we are more efficient each time”estimated the novice.

“Rome was not built in a day”

Before being promoted to MotoGP, Pedro Acosta won two titles in the lower categories (world champion in Moto3, in 2021, for his debut, and in Moto2, in 2023). His potential seems so great that informed observers see him as the obvious successor to Marc Marquez, 31 years old.

The latter does not hide his admiration for Pedro Acosta, mature and laconic in each of his media outings. “He showed that he is a great talent, in Moto3 and Moto2said the elder at the start of the season. When you’re super talented and you get on a motorcycle, you’re fast. Many rookies have achieved podiums and victories in the past. I always said he would be an important part of MotoGP in the coming years. »

Author of a promising start to the season with a podium in his second race, at the Portuguese Grand Prix, Pedro Acosta subsequently showed himself to be irregular on the KTM, in a championship dominated by the Ducati. On Saturday, during the sprint race (a format which corresponds to 50% of the distance of the Sunday race) in Motegi, Pedro Acosta fell four laps from the finish while leading the race, ultimately won by the Italian Francesco Bagnaia. “It was a stupid mistake. I’m not looking for excuses, I’m looking for solutions.”he commented.

Fifth in the world championship standings, the Murcian, entered this season in the KTM satellite team, has already won his place on one of the two official motorcycles next year, alongside South African Brad Binder. And even if Pedro Acosta is still in the learning phase, it is not crazy to imagine him as the leading KTM driver in 2025. “Everything we need to improve on, all the mistakes, it has to be this season. I think it’s also a process. Rome was not built in a day. We must continue like this”he told the site Motorsport in August.

The first pole position for the Spanish nugget, which is also the first for KTM since 2020, is a new step in his process which could ultimately lead him to a world champion title. “It’s amazing to see how fast he is every weekend. Of course, he makes mistakes, it’s a rookiebut next year he will be hard to beat »already predicts his compatriot Jorge Martin, current leader of the championship. On Sunday, Pedro Acosta, dominant in the sprint race before falling, will have a second chance to convert his good place on the starting grid into success.