Pedro Acosta was dreaming of his first MotoGP win after taking a brilliant pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi. The KTM rookie was leading the Sprint Race before making a fatal mistake. The #31, in the thick of the battle with the Ducatis, suffered a front-end lock-up, causing a crash that ended his race ambitions. Despite the disappointment, Acosta remains positive and is already preparing for Sunday's main race.
In an interview with Sky Sport, Pedro Acosta analyzed the situation after this Sprint : " Racing is like that, let's see tomorrow. Today we had a sustained pace and for tomorrow, we can be serene. When there is the race distance, it is easier for us than the Sprint. I made a trajectory error, I went off at turn 6 then at turn 7, with a bit more angle. It was my mistake. We have made a lot of progress on braking, over the last four races, I think we're closer than we expected. »
High drama in the #TissotSprint as @37_pedroacosta crashed out of the lead at T7 😱
A massive opportunity thrown away by the polesitter ❌#JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/eoHPRxsTPy
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 5, 2024
Dani Pedrosa: “ he stood up to Pecco Bagnaia, world champion, and all the Ducatis it was very brave of Pedro Acosta »
Dani Pedrosa, mentor ofAcosta and test driver KTM, also reacted to this fall with words of support for the young pilot: " too bad. There were only three and a half laps left, and after all the effort… but hey, It's part of learning, I think it was brave. He stood up to world champion Pecco Bagnaia and all the Ducatis. He couldn't make it happen, but without a doubt, he takes that confidence with him. Very brave of Acosta. »
Pedrosa also stressed thatAcosta had demonstrated its ability to compete with the best machines on the grid, despite the pace imposed by the Ducati. " He had managed to climb up at the Ducati level, and he led the race until his fall. His too wide trajectory cost him, but it is a valuable experience for the future »
Peter Acosta, despite this mistake, continues to show impressive progress and remains a serious contender for the races to come. His first MotoGP victory seems closer and closer, and the rookie is learning quickly with each outing.
This will sting for @37_pedroacosta ????
But he has shown his speed and there's another opportunity tomorrow 👀#JapaneseGP 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/AFaarKrPOv
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) October 5, 2024
Starting grid for the Japanese Grand Prix:
Sprint Race Results MotoGP
MotoGP General Ranking