Pedro Acosta says he has a familiar feeling aboard his KTM RC16, reminiscent of his maiden MotoGP pole at Motegi in 2024. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider returned to the Japanese circuit fresh from his breakthrough victory in Austria, and set the second-fastest time in Friday practice.
“It's a quite similar feeling to 2024 and much better than in 2025, so I'm happy,” Acosta said. He is hopeful of repeating his stunning qualifying performance from two years ago, when he took his first premier-class pole.
However, the Spaniard is keeping his feet on the ground. He acknowledges that Motegi suits the KTM, and last year he was also competitive, qualifying fourth and scoring a sprint podium. “Maybe the biggest difference is the resurfaced track and different tyre compounds,” he explained. “But regarding tyre management, we have been much better this season than last year.”
The 22-year-old also highlighted the team's progress. “We have found a good base bike for the start of the weekend and just need to fine-tune the details,” he added. He remains cautious but confident.
With a solid first day, Acosta is optimistic for the rest of the weekend. He knows the pressure to win again is there, but his focus is on delivering his best. “Fingers crossed for me!” he smiled. “In the end, the team is doing a good job and I'm happy about that.”
Acosta's performance at Motegi will be closely watched as he rides the wave of momentum from his first win. If he can maintain consistency, another pole and podium challenge is not out of the question on Sunday.
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