“I dedicate this title to Pedro Acosta who didn’t accept not winning

Pedro Acosta closed this Sunday in Malaysia, with two GGPPs to play, his second world title. At 19 years old, the man from Mazarrón is already a double World Champion, and appeared euphoric in front of the journalists after becoming the second youngest driver in history to achieve this, only behind Dani Pedrosa.

Looks good, doesn’t it Pedro?

Sounds great, yes. Before going to Malaysia I saw that it had been two years since we won the Moto3 title, so it was nice to win here. So I was left without a team before going to the World Cup. It was not an easy situation, as I was left without a team a week after signing the contract. I saw myself outside, I saw that everything could end. I said to Albert [Valera, su manager]:’In the end everything went well.’

What is the key in the title? and what can we expect from you next year?

The key was last year. We prepared it a lot, but it didn’t go well for us, I was angry because I wanted to do it well. We couldn’t find the setting that suits me, because it’s probably too small and thin. In all these aspects, I think we have taken a huge step forward.

What can we expect next year?

Next year, without expectations. Maybe that’s what disappointed us in the first season in Moto2. The strategy is to have fun, learn with the team, because I think I can learn a lot from the KTM guys.

Closing the championship with two GPs remaining after winning 7 races and being on the podium 14 times can give the impression that you’ve had it easy this year

The hardest thing is managing myself. I didn’t crash last year because the bike was bad, I didn’t crash because the bike didn’t allow me to do x thing. The problem is that I want to go too fast. Eventually I realized that I had to go through an adaptation process to learn what I should be doing on the bike to make things easier for me.

We saw that in Moto3 it was very easy for me to overtake, while in Moto2 it was very difficult for me to advance a position in the first laps. Last year we improved our overtaking a lot, this year we improved our race start, and now from FP1 we are competing. I think it’s a combination, although mainly, we put all the mistakes we made last year in a box and told ourselves: nothing can come from here.

What deadline do you set for yourself to become a competitive MotoGP rider?

I don’t set any deadline. It’s true that I’m very curious about Monday after Valencia and seeing how a MotoGP team works, seeing new things that I need to understand, seeing how Brad, Jack and Augusto ride, and how Dani rides. [Pedrosa], which I think will help me make huge strides in fine-tuning. Understanding how I have to brake, how I have to turn, because these are the things that were difficult for me last year. I want to start on the right foot on Monday after the Valencia GP to make solid steps.

Do you understand that there are those who expect you to fight for the World Cup in the first year?

It’s always nice when people see you like that. It is true that even I want to do well, but I will not tell you to fight for a World Cup, because it is a very big thing… for now. But I want to do well, I want to do good races, improve during the year, and why not, be competitive at the end of the year with a KTM. We have seen how Binder, because he has refined the style, is always in the top 6. It is true that the bike is now a step forward, it is not ready to win the World Championship, but in two years, for luck or bad luck of some KTM This will be the best bike on the grid.

Since you arrived at the World Cup you have been in Team Ajo, an environment that nurtured and protected you for three years. Changing teams is an important step, especially going to MotoGP, the most complicated category.

After three years in his team I say that I don’t want to leave, but I’m not leaving it completely. In the end, I’m lucky that Aki Ajo is like an academy for KTM riders. I know that at KTM they tried everything to create a team with him in MotoGP for me, and I really have to thank them for that. From no one trusting me before I entered Moto3 to wanting to make a custom MotoGP team for me. This is something huge. I know that sooner or later the two paths will cross, either with the official KTM team or on a satellite with them. I like the idea of ​​working with them again.

A classic, who is this title for?

I dedicate it to Pedro for whom things didn’t work out… ‘That things don’t work out’ means he won’t win. That’s my big problem that I think I have to deal with. My approach was that if Pedro Acosta was at his best, he could win 22 races, but then unforeseen circumstances arose. But when you wear the official colors of KTM, especially with Aki behind you, and with all the upper echelons of KTM looking at everything with a magnifying glass, anything other than winning is bad. I had to learn to manage those losses, whether it was my fault or due to things beyond my control.

It also goes to Pedro who doesn’t have things happening to him, for Pedro who has problems that no one sees, for someone who stopped training for a while and is looking for someone else to help him. Because many times, no matter how much you want it, you need a friendly push from someone.

Aki was a very important figure in your career, as I think Albert Valera, your manager, was too, or am I wrong?

He gave me life when I was gone. At first it was complicated because he didn’t want to take me, he was too busy with Jorge Lorenzo.

And who won more, him or you?

I think I am! It is true that in the last year and a half we have become closer, because when we started we were very small. I was 16 years old, now I’m 20. Albert gave me my first contract for the World Championship, the one overnight that got me a long-term contract with KTM, the one that pushed me to move up to MotoGP , and one that somehow moves my life forward.

To everyone around you that I have talked about you, emphasize that you are very much a part of your family.

At the beginning of being with Albert he proposed the idea of ​​me living in Andorra. And that’s where I went. After a few days, I said to him: ‘Albert, I will not leave my house.’ And I’m not saying this because the country is ugly, on the contrary, it’s very beautiful, I was so depressed not to see the sun or the beach that I couldn’t take it anymore.

I still live at home, although it is true that I am looking for a little to be free, but it is to go to the street! I’m comfortable in Murcia, people are used to seeing me, I go out and I’m a different person. I’m not famous, they don’t stop me every ten meters… I see it very well… I’m comfortable in Mazarrón. From my house I can see the beach, where I am looking to move is 20 meters from the beach. and that is important to me.

But in Andorra you can save money..

I prefer to pay!

Now is the big party, it’s time to celebrate

Yesterday we went bowling, I think we will go back today. But there’s a race next week and I want to do well. The team is playing in the Team World Championship and if I win both races I will be close to 400 points, which will be a lot of points.