Is a MotoGP win within Pedro Acosta’s reach? “A miracle has to happen”

MotoGP returned from the summer break in an unusual location: the press conference for the British Grand Prix did not take place in the Silverstone paddock, but in the heart of London. At the Outernet venue on Tottenham Court Road, where the riders arrived in style in black taxis, the media session turned into a public viewing event. Alongside Pedro Acosta, Ai Ogura, Marco Bezzecchi, Diogo Moreira and returnee Cal Crutchlow took their places on stage.

Eleven races to go, then it’s the end of the road in orange

For Acosta, Silverstone marks the start of the final chapter in a long-standing relationship: the Spaniard has been riding KTM machinery since 2018, when he began his career in the professional junior ranks. After the remaining eleven Grands Prix, he will join the Ducati factory team alongside Marc Marquez. Currently seventh in the World Championship with 148 points, he has scored almost as many points as his three KTM team-mates combined. He trails championship leader Jorge Martin (Aprilia) by 60 points.

The fact that the gap isn’t wider was often not down to the rider. Time and again, the KTM RC16 held him back with technical problems. “I’m glad to be back. All in all, the first half of the season wasn’t too bad. It’s true that we had a lot of technical problems and fell behind in the championship battle as a result. But it’s surprising that we weren’t even further behind,” said Acosta, summing up his first half of the season.

Will Pedro Acosta secure his first MotoGP victory with KTM?

He deliberately chose not to spend the three-week break brooding over things. “During the summer break, I focused on switching off and forgetting all the problems we’d had. KTM have worked hard,” he explained. “If we no longer have these technical problems in the second half of the season, we can try to get back into the fight for the top positions in the World Championship.”

Of all places, Silverstone doesn’t seem to be the best place to kick off his campaign. Acosta has never finished on the podium there in MotoGP, and only once in Moto2. “I think it would take a miracle,” he replied when asked about a possible race win. “At the moment, we have to aim to finish in the top five. We’re not that far off the top of the World Championship. Last year, this was our toughest race on the whole calendar.” His aim is to keep the gap to the leaders as small as possible until the Asian races, as experience has shown that the races there tend to go better for him.

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Spent the summer break watching NASCAR and cycling races

Acosta sought a break in the US, where he attended a NASCAR race. “Seeing cars that look like my van, and then going 360 km/h, was impressive. I also had time to visit Indianapolis, a circuit I’d never been to before,” he said. His sporting preparation followed at the “La Purito” cycle race in Andorra, alongside some of his MotoGP colleagues.

The aim for the second half of the season is clear: “We now have to try not to make any mistakes and be more focused than ever before. Because we’re much closer than we could ever have imagined at the start of the year.”