MotoGP Qatar J1: Pedro Acosta (GasGas/3) is frank: “I’m not thinking about Marc Marquez’s record”

Pedro Acosta shocked everyone in Qatar. Disconcertingly easy on the handlebars of his GasGas RC16, he dazzled the paddock with his mastery, right from the first practice session which he finished in third position. It's strong, very strong even, and above all, it reminds us of a certain Marc Marquez, as much in hasty rescues as in precocity. It is very likely that we are in the presence of a crack, a generational talent. He prefers not to get excited, and to keep his feet on the ground, because the world title is still – extremely – far away.

Everyone was waiting for Pedro Acosta in Qatar, and no one was disappointed. From his first laps, he left no room for doubt by completing fast loops. Here he is, a little more, in the footsteps of Marc Marquez who, as we recall, placed third in his first Grand Prix in the premier category; in Qatar, already in 2013. During the second race of this year, in Austin, he won, becoming the youngest winner in MotoGP at 20 years and 63 days. Pedro Acosta is only 19 years old. « I'm not thinking about Marc Marquez's records yet. The bikes have evolved a lot, and although I have done some good laps, I have not yet taken part in a race against the others. » This confirms his calm temperament, and certainly not boastful.

 

 

Today he particularly impressed his colleagues, both in the dry and in the wet. « I'm super happy with our first day, because we improved our sensations since the tests in Qatar and Malaysia, and we were able to ride both in the dry and in the wet, which is always good for a first round. We take small steps forward, we stay calm, and we have to settle for the best we can get. »

 

 

For sure, Marquez's record will be hard to achieve due to his package, but can his genius compensate for this parameter? Tell us in the comments!

FP1 MotoGP standings at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix:

 

 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport