Pedro Acosta heads to the San Marino GP at Misano with renewed confidence after a positive fifth-place finish in Aragon. The Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider believes the result at MotorLand was less of a surprise and more a confirmation of the progress he is making with the Austrian manufacturer. He particularly highlights the team's ability to improve the bike over the weekend, which he considers key to taking further steps forward.
Misano is also a circuit where KTM typically starts with high expectations. Acosta recalls the strong performance there last year and approaches the Italian round with the intention of continuing to gain experience for next season. Meanwhile, the championship is entering a decisive phase, with Marc Marquez holding a significant lead after recovering a large haul of points in recent races. These were Acosta's comments as reported by our colleague Mar Fucho from Misano.
Asked about his overtake on Marco Bezzecchi in Aragon, which drew much attention, Acosta downplayed it. “I've made many better overtakes that didn't get as much hype. It was more about the visual aspect. I arrived with much higher speed and had a wide open track ahead. He was in the dirty zone. I dived from far back, but it was only a matter of time. If not there, it would have been at the end of the first lap because I had much more momentum. It wasn't as spectacular from the inside as it looked on TV,” he said.
Acosta has also been visibly pushing hard with the KTM in the second half of the season. “I try. I said I would give everything until the end of the year. Not just for the brand, though that too, because I've been with them for six years and want to give them all the good I can, but mainly for myself. Next year a new challenge begins, probably bigger than anything in my career so far. Everything I can take, I will keep for myself: experience, things to keep improving, and to be at the level needed when the time comes,” he stated.
Regarding motivation, Acosta actually named Silverstone as more inspiring than Aragon. “At Silverstone, a track where I normally struggle and KTM also finds it tough, we got a decent top 5. That gave me more motivation. At Aragon, if you look at all my races there, I've always been close to the podium. KTM usually goes well there, so it was more expected,” he explained.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Acosta stressed his focus is on helping KTM develop. “I'm happy because we are managing to improve the bike every race. That gives me confidence. We can't be complacent; every detail must be refined. I want to finish the season strongly and carry momentum into the new year,” he added.
As for the title fight, Acosta sees Marquez as the strongest candidate. “Marc is the most experienced; he should win this world championship,” he concluded. This statement underlines that Acosta is not only focused on his own performance but also acknowledges his rival's superiority.
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