Pedro Acosta has taken full responsibility for the crash that robbed him of certain victory in the Austrian MotoGP sprint race on Saturday. The KTM rider had a comfortable lead when he flew into the Turn 2/2A chicane impossibly fast with three laps remaining, leading to the spill.
After retiring from the race, the 22-year-old explained that he had been checking information on his dash and missed his braking point as a result. "I was riding in a really good mood, the pace was really good," said Acosta. "I was just checking the laps that were remaining on the dash, to see how I was [in terms of fuel]. I f***ed it up, that's it. I lost my braking point. It was the wrong time to check what you wanted to check. Three laps to go, three seconds ahead. Yeah, it was a mess on my side."
Acosta added that trying to manage his lead with a conservative approach had been a contributing factor. "Also, that was the moment that I rolled off a bit to not take any risks... I lost a bit the focus because of this. Tomorrow, if I'm in the same place, sure, I will not roll off."
Moments later, however, Acosta took a different line when asked what might change in his approach for the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. "Zero. I mean, I have nothing to lose. Also, [at the moment] I'm showing more speed, with more constant good results. So, tomorrow, it's the same approach."
Acosta is still hunting for a breakthrough grand prix win as the clock winds down on his career with KTM. He leaves the Austrian manufacturer for the Ducati factory team at the end of this season. This incident is a blow at KTM's home event, where he was expected to shine.
The crash also altered the course of the sprint race. Jorge Martin capitalized on the situation to claim victory, while Acosta had to swallow a bitter pill after a dominant display.
With this result, Acosta lost valuable points in the championship chase. He must bounce back quickly in Sunday's main race to keep his hopes alive for the remainder of the season.
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