Acosta’s Maturing Approach Praised
A year ago, Pedro Acosta was often under pressure, frequently needing to find excuses for missed races or unfortunate crashes. Today, the narrative has shifted. The young Spaniard has undergone a notable transformation, prioritising consistency and race management, which allows him to rack up valuable championship points. This newfound maturity translates into a commendable fourth place in the overall standings, a remarkable achievement given the current performance of the KTM machine.
“I hope the day comes when I don’t need excuses every Sunday,” confessed Acosta, who recently secured a sixth-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix. “I’m not crashing, I’m much more consistent than last year. Last week, I saw I had as many points as I did after 12 races last year, and we’ve only had seven so far. You can’t say we’re not trying everything.”
This new discipline is bearing fruit: “It will eventually help me. I think in MotoGP, I’ve always had the speed, but I’ve never managed to go all the way, mainly due to crashes. This year, I believe we’re seeing that I’m not falling, that I know how to settle for sixth place when I can’t do better.” It’s a wisdom he hopes will be rewarded: “It might not seem like it, but we’re accumulating points here and there, and we have a lot. I hope it serves me well at the end of the year.”
The KTM Performance Enigma
Despite his personal progress, Pedro Acosta cannot ignore the intrinsic limitations of his machine. When asked what he needs to finally aim for victory, his answer is direct: “I’m waiting for the bike to progress.” And the least one can say is that KTM’s RC16 appears to suffer from a certain… Jekyll and Hyde syndrome.
The Austrian manufacturer faces a recurring puzzle: performance variations that are sometimes disconcerting, not only from one weekend to the next but also within the same day. Acosta, who has become the undisputed leader of the brand – accumulating more points than all his teammates combined – struggles to explain these fluctuations. “I think I’m performing quite well compared to the other KTMs,” he observes, before pointing to the inconsistencies: “It seems they’re struggling with things I’m not talking about. Everyone struggles at some point during the weekend.”
Pedro Acosta, more consistent, is still seeking the key to unlock his first MotoGP victory.
He illustrates this oddity with the example of Enea Bastianini: “It’s strange to see how fast Enea was in Practice
, when the track didn’t offer much grip, then in qualifying he did exactly the same time and got stuck there.” He himself experiences these mood swings of the bike: “I was slower on Friday, at his level on Saturday, and it seems I made more progress on Friday, but it’s not normal. Usually, it’s hard to come back. That’s why there are a lot of questions.”
A Promising Return to Roots
For the most recent Grand Prix, the Hungarian GP, Pedro Acosta chose to revert to a base setup he had previously used successfully at the Catalunya Grand Prix. This gamble paid off, as that setup had allowed him to contend for the lead, even heading the race before an incident involving Álex Márquez. More recently, during the race, he was heading for a potential third place before being hit by Ai Ogura on the final corner, a cruel end to the race.
“I went back to my Barcelona base because it worked quite well there. It seems to be better,” explains the rider. He also acknowledges the importance of collaboration within the team: “I studied Enea’s data because he was really, really fast on Friday. We share feedback, I try to understand his problems, and they try to understand mine.” This synergy is essential to try and unlock the mysteries of the KTM and, above all, to get closer to that long-awaited first success.
Key Takeaways from Acosta’s Situation
- Increased Maturity: Pedro Acosta has significantly improved his consistency and reduced errors, proving more solid in races.
- Awaiting the Bike: The Spanish rider believes the progression of the KTM RC16 is the main obstacle to his victory ambitions.
- Fluctuating Performance: KTM suffers from unpredictable performance variations, making development work complex.
- Untapped Potential: Despite the lack of a win, Acosta confirms his status as a prodigy and the leader at KTM.
- Strategic Return: The decision to revert to proven settings shows a pragmatic approach to regaining pace.
[au Mugello]
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