Pedro Acosta is the rising star of MotoGP™ has set the stage on fire throughout his time on the World Championship stage so far. The young Spaniard is already a two-time World Champion, taking 2021 Moto3™ honours in his rookie year, before claiming Moto2™ success in 2023. By all accounts, the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 rookie isn’t done yet as he now sets his sights on taking the premier class by storm.
At the recent Sepang Test outing, the class’ sole rookie earned a commendable P9 on the timesheets, while he also recorded a faster Sprint simulation than reigning two-time MotoGP™ World Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), which has left spectators and seasoned riders alike in awe.
Eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez was quick to praise the #31, saying: "He was fast, it doesn't surprise me.
“When you come from Moto2, if you look at the history, you have a cornering speed, and a speed, and that point of subconsciousness that also works well, of going very fast. In this circuit, there are steps, if you look when [Fabio] Quartararo went up, [Johann] Zarco, when I went up, Bagnaia went up here and I don't know if he was first in this test, he was ahead. You come up from Moto2 and you have a speed that you then lose and you gain other points. It's logical, you keep falling and you see that when you touch the ground you become faster. Acosta is very good, this year if it's not every race he'll stick his head out in many races."
Fellow premier class rider and the grid’s elder statesman Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was also quick to salute Acosta’s efforts.
“His talent is amazing. Since he arrived in the Championship, he has been doing extraordinary things. It’s just his third time in Sepang. His second time on a MotoGP bike. When you see him on track, I rode with him a couple of laps, and you see the lines he is taking, they are not rookie lines. It’s unbelievable how fast he learns so obviously he will be one to watch during the season.”
On the other side of the GASGAS Tech3 box, Augusto Fernandez endured a more trying time in Sepang but was thankful his teammate found his footing early in Malaysia.
"Thanks to him going fast, I've been able to copy some things. And the electronics, for example, which we were also lost with, I've copied. I'll wake up, if I'm so lost, he'll help me. But of course, I have to beat him. It's my second year and his first, and I have to beat him, and it affects me, but I want to beat him."
Acosta’s performances also caught the eye of KTM Team Manager Francesco Guidotti, who admitted he has been taken aback by his rapid progression.
"I think he has amazed everyone - including me! It's not just about performance and speed, but also about his technical comments. It was as if he had known the bike for a long time. I was surprised by his performance. I am very happy that he will be part of the family."
Acosta will work closely with Paul Trevathan across the upcoming season, and his Crew Chief offered some excellent insight into what it is like working with the 19-year-old.
“What can I say? We all expected a steep learning curve, but he has impressed me immensely by what he has achieved in such a short time. He’s open to taking information on board, he’s very keen to try different things. He’s like a sponge, he can take everything in and he can turn it into trying it on track and learning what’s the best way.
“We are supporting him, we're showing him using our experience to try to help him speed up the process but sometimes he's a bit faster than us so yes it's impressive. He's a very, very open character you know it's a this makes it super easy. I would say he likes everyone to be honest and straight, the good and the bad, so this makes it again very, very easy so I'm enjoying working with him.
“He's a little bit like an old soul in a young body you know he's very mature for his age I would say. He's very sure of what he wants and how he wants to achieve. It lays the targets of what we both want to achieve and it's very, very easy. We're just working on a day-by-day basis so we haven't set ourselves a target, we haven't even talked about it. I know his ultimate goal though! This is super clear. He's only here for one reason.”