Pedro Acosta aims to secure his first MotoGP victory this season, with just four rounds remaining in the championship. The young rider from GASGAS Tech3 is under pressure to follow in the footsteps of Jorge Martin. The last rookie to clinch a win, who achieved this feat during his sixth start in 2021.
After a challenging mid-season, Acosta has shown remarkable resilience, finishing only 1.4 seconds behind Martin in Indonesia and earning his debut pole position last weekend in Japan. However, his hopes for a breakthrough victory dashed when he crashed after briefly overtaking reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia for the lead in the Motegi Sprint, and then fell again while in second place early in the grand prix.
“Pedro is super strong. He had the potential to win in Japan, but he crashed,” Martin commented. “He wants his first victory in MotoGP so badly. For sure he will be super strong, but we also have Marc and Enea, who will be competitive. They have their own battles and will be aiming for victory too.”
Bagnaia echoed Martin’s sentiments, noting he wasn’t surprised by Acosta’s impressive performance in Japan. He anticipates that the 20-year-old will be part of a competitive leading pack at the upcoming Phillip Island race. “He was very competitive from the start of the [Motegi] weekend. I expected him to perform well as KTM has always been fast in Japan, and he is a rider who brakes really hard,” Bagnaia said.
“He was fighting for his first victory, and we know the potential of Pedro. He was excellent at the start of the season, but he lost some confidence. However, it looks like he is back.”
The Phillip Island circuit presents a unique challenge, where the high-speed layout minimizes the differences between bike performance. With a new track surface, an expanded range of rear tires, and the potential for wet weather on Friday. The Australian MotoGP could be one of the most unpredictable races of the season.
Neither Martin nor Bagnaia, who have collectively won 22 of the 32 races this season, has ever claimed victory at Phillip Island, which could open the door for their rivals. Meanwhile, KTM seeks to end a winless streak since Miguel Oliveira’s triumph at Buriram in 2022, although Brad Binder did secure a Sprint victory at Jerez in 2023.
Acosta is currently locked in a battle for fifth place in the world championship with future teammate Binder. Who holds a slender two-point lead following Acosta’s disappointing performance in Motegi. As the countdown to the race at Phillip Island begins, all eyes will be on Acosta as he aims to achieve his long-awaited first win.
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