After making his mark in the premier class, Herve Poncharal gives an assessment of Pedro Acosta’s performances ahead of the Americas GP.
As MotoGP™ prepares to race at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) has already made mark in the Championship. The MotoGP™ rookie claimed a career-first podium in Portugal, ending a dramatic race with an unbelievable result. Acosta has already battled against big names such as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).
Speaking during Friday’s Practice session, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 Team Owner Herve Poncharal praised the MotoGP™ rookie: “I don’t know how to express my feelings. Of course, it’s going better than we expected. These first races have been a dream.
In the Portuguese Grand Prix, Acosta finished the race in third, taking a podium after a dramatic last lap, ending the race just 5.362 seconds from the victory, and becoming the third youngest podium finisher.
Speaking about the podium, Poncharal added: “The race in Portugal was unbelievable: the pace, the strategy, the cool head he managed to have. When you are a rookie and are fighting with Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez, you can often be fast, but often you can make a rookie mistake, and I touch wood when I say that.”
Acosta now has a new challenge ahead at the Circuit Of The Americas, a track where the 19-year-old won in Moto2™ in 2023. After the first day riding a MotoGP™ bike at COTA, Acosta ended Friday in fifth place, just half a second from the top spot, which Poncharal praises the Spaniard’s quick ability to learn.
“COTA is a very special track, and with the Moto2™, he had a very good feeling, but with the MotoGP™, it’s a different world. But this morning, within a few laps, he was P1, but we’ll see what we can expect.”
However, Poncharal still does not know how to describe Acosta’s talent. The rookie is fifth in the standings, just 32 points from Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing)
“We are in a dream, I don’t know how to explain it, it’s not normal. He is fighting with great riders like Pecco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, and Fabio Quartararo who have been here for a few seasons and raced here in Austin. These guys do things that can’t be explained, they are magic.”
