Let's talk MotoGP: Pedro Acosta at GasGas, the lack of panache

It’s now official; Pedro Acosta will play for GasGas Tech3 next season. He will replace Pol Espargaró, and therefore, will not join the official team for his first year in the premier category. What do you think of this choice? Together, let's detail the advantages and disadvantages of such a decision.

 

Pedro Acosta will develop at GasGas

 

The main positive is that he joins one of the best teams for driver development. Ben Spies, Cal Crutchlow, Pol Espargaro, Johann Zarco, Bradley Smith and many others have been flamboyant within the French team who know how to manage young guns, there is no doubt about it. Hervé Poncharal's reputation is well established, and he will do everything possible to propel his colt as far as possible.

Then, in this way, he remains an outsider and does not have the pressure of a factory driver. Obviously, GasGas' satellite team status will help it adapt, firstly, to the world of MotoGP, before moving on to more substantial training if his talent translates into results. Alongside Augusto Fernández, he should normally benefit from the same machine as Brad Binder and Jack Miller while maintaining this status advantage relative to his young age. This is a good point, because less will be expected of him.

 

 

Was there not something better to do?

 

On the other hand, and you will not be surprised if you read my analysis from a few days ago, I can't help but think that it's quite a shame not to give him a factory handlebar. According to statements, Pol Espargaró has himself accepted a role as test driver, and should benefit from numerous wild cards during the 2024 season.

I think Pedro Acosta is a generational talent. He has something special. And like all the specimens of the genre arriving from the intermediate category (Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa, Marc Márquez, Maverick Viñales, Brad Binder), he should have had this official handlebar. Indeed, you notice that it is very rare for a strong pilot in his young years to fail if he is given such an important mission. Even Álex Márquez was far from ridiculous at Honda Repsol in 2020, especially given the context.

 

 

This would have put a lot of pressure on Pedro Acosta, that's for sure, but it's also what makes the greatest champions. This would have accentuated the very strong relationship he has with Red Bull and KTM as entities; here, the two brands are, in fact, missing out on a big sponsorship opportunity if we except the helmet. Recognize that Pedro Acosta on a GasGas, motorcycles that we don't see every day and especially on cross-country terrain, it's not that much of a dream.

And then, the Tech3 team is great at developing young talents, but they have never had such a great prospect as Pedro Acosta in their ranks. In general, the Poncharal teams manage to highlight a fairly specific type of driver, with heart; I actually wrote an entire article about it.. When Raúl Fernández, a superstar “caliber” driver showed up, the sauce did not take because these very strong characters (and Acosta has no shortage of them either) need space to express themselves, to play something. I'm not saying that Tech3 won't be able to make Pedro Acosta work, far from it, but given very recent history, this point must be emphasized.

 

 

 

Now it remains to be seen what will become of Jack Miller. In all likelihood, he should return with the factory team for at least a year, and again, I find it a shame that KTM is making this resolutely conservative choice rather than that of panache. We already know the Australian's ceiling. Is he a driver who can make a few breakthroughs, a sure bet in the wet, and glean a few podiums without too much logic over the course of a season? Yes. Is he the one who will challenge Brad Binder, who will play for consistency for the manufacturer ranking, or even, the one who will take KTM to the next dimension, that is to say alongside Ducati? I do not think so.

Therefore, Pedro Acosta would have represented a good bet and the balance with Binder, in MotoGP since 2020, would not have been shocking. This pair, with a very good machine, could perhaps play for the teams title; in any case, the question would have been permitted. With Binder/Miller, we already know it will be difficult.

What do you think ? Would you have made the same choice? Tell us in the comments!

 

 

Cover photo: KTM Ajo