Franco Morbidelli looks at the other categories in Grand Prix. And during the last one which took place in Spain, Pedro Acosta once again amazed the gallery in Moto3. He confirmed the impression that he was running around his opponents, despite being only 16 years old. However, his performance at Jerez was not easy and he never seemed above the fray. But it was he who, combining authority and opportunism, managed to pull the punches by winning a new victory. The season is still long, but many already have the impression that this Moto3 is too small for his talent. Should he skip the stages, and live, for example, the experience of Jack Miller who very quickly found himself in MotoGP? The drivers in this category respond, and Morbidelli has an opinion that runs counter to that of the others…
Peter Acosta has become essential in four Grands Prix of this 2021 season. It must be said that he has achieved this three times in a row, after starting his first campaign at this level of the competition with a second position. In a paddock that only dreams of finding the young prodigy, the event is huge. The diamond in the rough is there. But who will put it in its box? And, above all, shouldn't it be cut before being exhibited?
This work is that of time and experience spent in other categories before arriving in MotoGP. Because the rush towardsAcosta can also consume it. Marc Marquez, who knows something about the subject, warned, and even advised his talented cadet to keep a cool head. The current leader of the championship bagnaia does not say anything else when he declares: “ he's one of the rookies who has impressed me the most since I've been in the championship, but the best way to get into MotoGP is to do two years in each category. Gain experience, learn and grow. In my opinion, it's better to wait and not put a lot of pressure on him because we have seen other drivers who suffered pressure from the media and were lost. It is better to wait and only congratulate him ».
Joan mir, the reigning World Champion, also wanted to join the advice of the longest path and looked at how Acosta should address things: “ now he has to be intelligent and surround himself with good people, who won't let him do anything. He started to be competitive from the start and took the lead in the championship and all that, and that's a good thing for his future because it means he takes less time than everyone else to adapt. But experience is a harder thing to get, because you need careers and you need things to happen to you. It's something that can't be bought. I think two years in each category is the smart thing to do. Keep your feet on the ground and keep working ».
Morbidelli: “I would tell him to keep his feet on the ground but listen to what he feels”
Everyone therefore seems to advise him to be cautious and measured. But there is one who bets more on the man and his feelings. It is Franco Morbidelli. The point of view of the Italian-Brazilian is thus different: “ Staying grounded is important, but there's something different about Pedro. We've never seen anything like this. I have seen races since I was a child and only Romano Fenati has done something similar, but it was in other circumstances and with Moto3 it was new. What we see of Pedro is something else, that's clear ».
« What I see from him is he doesn't look like he's 16, he seems like a very focused guy and he's not there to play. Keeping your feet on the ground is good advice, but I also think that if you feel like you need to take the plunge, I'm not saying it's next year, if you continue to do something else, you need to do something else for your future ».
He finishes : " we get to see more of him, so if he feels it, why not? I would tell him to keep his feet on the ground but listen to how he feels, because he is doing something different ". In any case, what is currently done Acosta, is to bury all those who meet him this year on the starting grid.
