Crowned with a dazzling career and two world titles, Peter Acosta, only rookie of the 2024 season MotoGP, made his move to the premier Grand Prix category under the media spotlight.
Great hope for the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, we follow it as best as possible and, after having collected his words in Valencia for his first day of testing among the big boys, we find it here after a shakedown in Malaysia that he dominated, on the evening of its second day of official IRTA testing.
What was his progress for this 6th day of driving on the RC16 of the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 team, but only the third with all the starting drivers? Let’s listen to it…
As usual, we report his words here without the slightest formatting.
How did it go today?
“Not so bad, so bad!” We are happy. We are happy because we are 0,5 faster than yesterday and 0,4 faster than my best shakedown time. »
Are you surprised by the speed of others?
“At the end, I was counting how many world champions were in front of me. I counted 6 or 7. You know, that's a lot of victories in MotoGP. And at the end of the day, these guys have experience, I mean they spent a lot of years in MotoGP. While on the other hand, don't forget that this is my third time in Malaysia. You know, that doesn't add up to much, and at the end of the day these guys know how to go fast. They know the settings, they know how to do it, they just have to put it all together and go, it's better than for me, but we're on the right track, we're on the right track. It's not enough right now, but it's getting better, better, better. »
What is the longest run you have done?
" I don't know. I don't know, to be honest. There were a lot of tricks during this sixth day. »
How is the KTM compared to other bikes?
“How is the KTM?” No, she's good, she's good. We have taken a big step forward compared to last year. I'm talking about the start of the season (in Valencia). We have taken a big step forward with the bike, with the aerodynamics and also with the electronics. You know, the factory has worked a lot in these areas to improve the way we make changes and that's how we get better. »
Have you also tried new developments?
" No no. We tried an engine that we had tried during the shakedown, but it wasn't new, it was an older concept. We tried yesterday the engine I have today, but nothing more, nothing about aero. Just a little bit of tuning and a little bit of electronics, you know, that's what we tried to change throughout the day. »
What do you like most about riding a MotoGP?
" All ! All ! In the end I'm very happy with the bike, I'm having a lot of fun. For that, it's good because I can't get bored like in Moto2, where I arrived at a good level and where I haven't touched the bike all year. Here, every session, we change a little here, a little there, and we always have work to do. »
What makes you happiest during these trials?
“The rhythm, the rhythm. It happens, you know, eventually. Now we are faster on a lap. We're also quicker in the way we go around, we're a little quicker in the rhythm, we understand a little better how the electronics work. We are getting better and better at it. »
When I see your hands, you have a lot of horn...
“Not too much, not too much!” It could be worse. You know, I remember Nico (Goyon), on the third day of shakedown, he said to me “show me your hands!” Oh fuck. It's not so bad, you know. Sometimes guys come here, rookies, with their skin falling off.” I don't know. Don't forget that I ride my motorcycle every day. Okay, it's warmer here. »
Did you have more or less the same thing in Moto2 and Moto3?
“More or less, but it’s true that here I have a little more, but you also have to understand that we are arriving at higher temperatures. For me, it's one of the worst in the entire calendar. The humidity is also quite high and the hands are always wet, so it becomes a bit more important, but on the bike I don't have much pain, to be honest. »
What about the clock attack? You feel well ?
“Better than in Moto2, you know, because in the end we are able to be fast, with the second tire it is true, because with the first we have a little difficulty tackling the corners and to see where to brake. But it's coming. It's a little better than in Moto2, but it's also because tomorrow we will do the first time attack exercise, let's say, and also the race simulation, and we will have more information. »
Still in a work phase, and benefiting less from the advantage provided by the shakedown the day before, Pedro Acosta saw his position go from 2nd to 8th, and his gap conceded increase from 0.269 to 0.592 seconds, despite an improvement in his time from 1'58.220 to 1'57.726.
MotoGP, your ruthless universe? The answer tomorrow...
Results of the second day of testing at Sepang:
Classification credit: MotoGP.com
To be continued…
