Acosta’s Profile: The Shark is getting big enough

SA Pedro Acosta Sánchez (Murcia, 5/25/2004) he missed the award of the youngest world champion in history by one day and the youngest champion of the intermediate category by 133 days, but who cares about minors record when you are called to big companies, to think big, to make real history in the world of two wheels. And a request. We should no longer refer to him as ‘the new Marc Márquez’ even if he is good at clickbait. It’s Pedro Acosta and that’s it.

In just three years, life has changed dramatically for this son, grandson and great-grandson of fishermen from Puerto de Mazarron who was never interested in the Pesquero Peretujo of the family except to do it “to mess up.” Nor did his first time on motorcycles indicate that he would make it not just a profession but that he would become a true champion. It also didn’t go well that a few months before the most impressive debut of a driver in the World Championship he was without a team and could already see himself in ‘Peretujo’ working with his father.

Pedro Acosta Sr. He is a driver who rides every Sunday with friends on the Cartagena circuit and he enrolls his youngest son – María del Mar and Miriam are his two older sisters – in an ‘extracurricular’ pilot school plan that ‘Pakote’, Pablo Mármol, just opened, KSB Sport in Cartagena. In his first race at an Interschool, two months after starting to ride a motorcycle, he started crying on the grid.

But the fuel began to poison him and his sports career became meteoric: Minibikes, MiniGP, MaxxiGP, PreMoto3, Moto4, the FIMCEV Repsol Moto3 combined with the Red Bull Rookies Cup where at the age of 15 in 2019 he was runner -up – that year he was either selected or he went home – and in 2020 was champion.

Since those years he has shown something special, with his own ‘old school’ style, which is the most missed today: aggressive, makes a difference when entering a curve, picks up the bike early and inward, a method with a larger motorcycle it will be more convenient.

From being out to win Moto3 in a big way

He went to the World Cup on the rebound because there was a last-minute restructuring that ended up going in his favor and that’s what he did on his debut in Red Bull KTM Ajo from Moto3 led by Aki Ajo, former champion of Mike de Meglio, Marc Márquez, Sandro Cortese and Brad Binder 125cc and Moto3. But no one expected the rookie to take four podiums in his first four races, three of which were wins.

At 17 years old he was not fazed even when his great rival Foggia cut him off. He took the crown in his second match-ball at Portimao and in a big way, won the race. A week later the best friend he made in the paddock, the Australian Remy Gardnerconquered Moto2 and posed with Fabio Quartararo for the 2021 champion photo.

He rides Remy’s motorcycle in 2022 Pedro Acosta as companion Augusto Fernandez. When moving up the category he had to give up that 1 that he aspires to one day wear in MotoGP, he is one of those who will not give up on this, as well as his password, 37, because when Augusto arrived earlier in the category. he has it.in the propiety. They formed a good tandem and cooperated a lot in the bad moments, which there were, although the most ready to lose won, the Mallorcan, where Acosta signed three wins and five podiums to be top-5 and rookie of the year. What brought him to silence was that he found himself also fighting with his own nature: he was hitting his growth spurt and the inches suddenly rose.

An impeccable season

The 37 painted in the Kalex of Red Bull KTM Garlic Now he is once again in Augusto’s jump in MotoGP as champion in Moto2 and he honors it again like in Moto3. From the beginning he faced the winter with great changes, the end of his time with Pakote, his coach and right hand and with whom he chose 51 for the first year of Moto2 and Adrián Cases, whom he also knows from then. childhood, a childhood friend and motorcycle mentor, your new confidant. It is a divorce model, not in the media, Mármol has responsibilities in its schools. Pedro put in the hours in the gym that he needed to win the body of a man, he reflected on the mistakes made in his first Moto2 year and did not stop going around ‘La Fortuna’ where they were afraid of him every time he will come out because it will be a very long day for them.

The 2023 season, his second and last in Moto2, has been impeccable: Leader from Portugal to Argentina, in Spain, and now uninterrupted from Silverstone, from the ninth GP onwards. He achieved victories in Portugal, Americas, Italy, Germany, San Marino, India, Indonesia, came second in Spain, Austria, Thailand and Malaysia and third in the Netherlands, Great Britain and Japan. He also knows how to suffer and take good points at the finish line in Catalonia (6th), Australia (9th), Argentina (12th) and his only drawback is his fall in France. But even geniuses like him are bound to make mistakes.

He will lose again at 37

MotoGP awaits him with open arms even if he has to return to deliver 37 in Augusto Fernandez with whom he will again share the box with GasGas Tech3. As of 2021, that jump to MotoGP in 2024 has been sealed in his fate, although there was a moment this year when KTM had to be reminded that it could lose its wonder boy if it doesn’t wake up because everything is – raffle.

And outside the track there is no doubt that this is a boost for the championship and if not, pay attention to the report prepared by DAZN with the most famous phrases that he uttered in front of their microphones. With so many corrections and so many ‘good vibes’ among the drivers, someone is needed to help Marc Márquez sort things out a bit. And Pedro Acosta is the ironic, cool guy, the disarming cool with his witty answers and self-confidence. He had phrases for everyone and everything and, fortunately, despite the occasional attempt, they never managed to clip his wings. MotoGP needs an ‘old school’ rider who provides fresh content and a real patina as well as a champion on the track.