Acosta-Manager: “We’re Talking to Many Factories, All Are Open to Help Us”
Pedro Acosta’s manager, Albert Valera reveals talks with "many factories". "All are open to help us" in case KTM's financial situation turns sour.
Pedro Acosta was just two world championship points short of finishing the 2024 MotoGP season as the best KTM rider. The Spanish MotoGP rookie put in a strong performance from the very first race and finished on the podium in just his second Grand Prix in the premier class.
Acosta was often the reference for his fellow KTM colleagues with Brad Binder and Co. unable to copy his riding style. Insightful remarks from the Spaniard’s crew chief Paul Trevathan and KTM test rider Pol Espargaro shed light on what sets Acosta apart from the rest of the KTM line-up.
“He doesn’t see himself as an athlete – he sees himself as a motorcycle rider,” Trevathan explained. “Pedro doesn’t want to run a marathon or be a professional cyclist. He wants to ride motorcycles.”
“The bike doesn’t have to be perfect for him. In fact, he doesn’t think the bike will ever be perfect. He’s always able to put something on top of it. He’s never pointing the finger at anything. Many times, I’ve said, ‘Look mate, I’m here,’ and he replied, ‘Yeah, but when I need you, I’ll ask. Let me first do what I can.’”
“As a technician, you just have to ensure you don’t mess up. Pedro takes care of the rest. When the bike is at 90%, he finds the missing 10% by himself.”
Drawing comparisons to Marc Marquez’s dominance at Honda between 2014 and 2019, he noted, “When somebody has the ability to take it to another place that nobody else can like Pedro does, the bike ends up looking bad once that ability or rider is gone. This is tough for the rest of the team to understand.”
As a KTM test rider, Pol Espargaro can easily compare what Acosta does differently. The most visually striking difference is the racing lines the Spaniard is able to choose.
“What shocked me when I saw him ride was how he used the whole track, from the inside to the outside. That was absolutely impressive! It’s very difficult to do it like that,” Espargaro reveals.
“How he rolls off the gas and goes onto the brakes reminded me of my Yamaha days. Valentino [Rossi] braked while still giving 20% gas, and I could never replicate it. I tried it in Mugello and almost killed myself in Turn 1!”
Espargaro highlighted how Acosta uses his long torso and arms to control the bike in a way others simply cannot. “It’s pretty unique how he leans beside the bike. It helps with turning at the apex. His anatomy allows him to do things I simply cannot, because I’m shorter. I’m physically unable to copy it.”
