Pedro Acosta sustained a consistent run of form at the Grand Prix of Aragon with a fifth consecutive top-eight finish for KTM.
The Spaniard finished just five seconds from a first podium of the MotoGP season, as he continues to go from strength to strength on KTM’s bike.
Acosta was the only rider to make the bold call to start with a hard front tyre at the Grand Prix of Aragon, and once warmed up, the tyre choice paid off handsomely.
It was what the 20-year-old was most comfortable on. On a weekend when anyone who didn’t have a Ducati bike struggled, it was a very impressive showing.
Acosta is demanding improvements from KTM after a factory visit last week, despite making improvements recently. He’s eager to drive the team forward.
It came just days after Acosta called his best MotoGP race ‘annoying’, feeling that he deserved more than a sixth place for his efforts at the British Grand Prix.
Pedro Acosta admitted KTM’s weekend ‘can’t get any worse’ before Aragon Grand Prix
Acosta qualified well in Aragon, managing fifth, just 0.014 seconds behind two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia on a factory Ducati.
It appears that Acosta’s desperate plea for help at KTM has worked at least partially. His demands aren’t unfair, he just wants a chance to compete at the sharp end of the grid.
Even through a turbulent period, Acosta ‘will not dare’ speak about leaving KTM as he continues to believe in the Austrian manufacturer’s current project.
“I had a lot of problems yesterday and didn’t want that to happen again,” he told SPEEDWEEK. “I’m someone who needs the front tyre more to be faster. And that was exactly my problem yesterday.
“That’s why I opted for the hard compound. I needed a lap or two to warm it up and feel comfortable, but after that, the tyre was fantastic. I’m very happy with my choice.
“To be honest, I was quite nervous on the grid because I was the only one using the hard compound, but I said to myself: Okay, we’ve already lost, it can’t get any worse.”
KTM had the best MotoGP bike in one area at the Grand Prix of Aragon
While Ducati seem to be the masters of all conditions and Aprilia are the kings of fast, long corners, KTM were top of the pile in Saturday’s qualifying session in an important statistic.
Both Brad Binder and Acosta were the two fastest bikes in a straight line, reaching speeds of 354km/h and 353km/h, respectively.
In third was Ducati’s Bagnaia, some 3km/h further behind, showing just how rapid the factory KTM is in a straight line.
When it comes to overtaking in races, that’s a big bonus for them. Meanwhile, it also shows that they still have a very strong engine and can compete with it.
