Let's talk MotoGP: Is Pedro Acosta the next Marc Márquez? 1/2

It's a refrain that we hear often. When we see Pedro Acosta evolve, we can't help but think of Marc Márquez, as if it were natural. Not Casey Stoner, not Valentino Rossi, not Jorge Lorenzo; Marc Marquez. In this dilogy, we will draw up a comparison between the two profiles, and study their journey in small categories. So why does one accompany the other? Do we have enough evidence to say that young Pedro Acosta is the future Marc Márquez? Today, we're going to look at the obvious similarities between the two monsters, before highlighting the differences that separate them tomorrow.

Of course, this is not a question of “reducing” Acosta to a future Márquez, both are unique. But more of a thought exercise which aims to highlight parallels – and perpendiculars – between the two, because the question posed by the title of this article is perfectly legitimate.

You don't follow Moto2? It's not serious ; click here to find a brief analysis to understand the Acosta phenomenon, and why his arrival in MotoGP is so talked about.

 

Pedro Acosta and Marc Márquez, a simple question of nationality?

 

The biggest commonality between the two is the most obvious; their country of origin. In all sports, we tend to make a connection between two profiles only because they were born in the same region. Not in the same region though; Marc Márquez, like the vast majority of Grand Prix drivers, is a Catalan. Pedro Acosta is a pure Mazzaronero, from the region of Murcia, further south. As clear as it is, this constitutes a valid argument in the context of the comparison. It’s a safe bet that we would have heard of “new Rossi” if he had been Italian. Another factor that joins this is filiation. Both are children of the traditional Spanish formation, and we are used to seeing Pedro Acosta with KTM, Ajo and Red Bull just as we were used to seeing Marc Márquez wearing the colors of Monlau, Repsol and Catalunya Caixa. This contributes to this impression of “factory driver before his time” and constitutes another strong visual marker.

 

 

However, as you can imagine, it doesn't stop there. Without talking about the track, we find real similarities in behavior. The young Marc Márquez was very smiling, jovial, passionate; signs that we find in Pedro Acosta. We are talking about two marked personalities, who stand out quite significantly from the other drivers. As he gets older, Márquez is no longer as cheerful but that is completely normal, especially given his recent form. But this point holds up perfectly when we remember his face in 2010, on the evening of his first world title acquired in 125cc. This is another visual common point that counts in the comparison, Conversely a more discreet Dani Pedrosa at this stage of his career, or a more provocative and conquering Jorge Lorenzo in 250cc. The characteristic freshness of Márquez in his younger years is definitely found in Pedro Acosta.

 

 

The precociousness of two champions

 

Now let's move on to the track. Looking at the results, a common denominator is obvious; precocity. We are not going to dwell on this point as it is obvious; Pedro Acosta was titled in his first year in Moto3 during the 2021 season, just 17 years and 166 days. This makes him the second youngest world champion, just ahead of… Marc Márquez, 17 years and 163 days for his first world title in 2010. Moreover, Pedro Acosta was only one day older than the first in this ranking when he was crowned, namely, Loris Capirossi. Let us get along; they are not the only ones to be precocious; Bradley Smith and Scott Redding, among others, were undoubtedly more so if we omit the world title. But this parameter, coupled with those we studied before, supports the comparison.

Exactly, let’s talk about the charts. There too, they follow each other; In the 21st century, only four drivers have won titles in both small and medium categories. Dani Pedrosa, Manuel Poggiali, Marc Marquez and his brother álex. Even if the 2023 season is not yet played, Pedro Acosta has taken a great option for the Moto2 title, especially after his Misano recital a few days ago. Tony Arbolino is too inconsistent to claim the crown, and we don't see how the championship could escape Pedro. He has the speed, the consistency, and the team is doing well. Obviously, this reminds us of Marc Márquez; more than Álex, who had to wait a couple of years for the Moto2 crown.

 

 

to summarize

 

The fact that both are Spanish plays a big part, but other strong markers allow us to easily equate Pedro Acosta with Marc Márquez. Among them, the light, jovial personality, without forgetting the Spanish training, essential to their success. The visual identities are close, as is the age at which they both broke through on the international scene.

According to these criteria, everything suggests that we see in Acosta the future Márquez, because he already has a similar record at the same point in his career, if not even more impressive.

But for all that, the two drivers also have major differences which weigh this statement considerably.. Of course, two men cannot experience exactly the same destiny, but in this specific case, these are quite distinct, intrinsic signs, and rarely mentioned about them. To discover them, see you tomorrow, same time! We are interested in your opinion: do you see any other similarities that we have not mentioned in this section? The second part is available: click here to find it. Tell us in the comments, and we'd be happy to discuss it.

 

 

Cover photo: Red Bull KTM Ajo