Acosta surrenders to Aleix: “We have an old man who is very fast”

Friday’s Gran Premi de Catalunya saw Aprilia and KTM come out at the expense of Ducati. And on the eve of his twentieth birthday, Pedro Acosta was third, more than a tenth behind “an older guy who was very fast,” in reference to his friend. Aleix Espargaro

Regarding his third place this Friday, the rookie of the category said that there are no miracles: “I work with competitive people. I said this at the beginning of the year. Pierer Mobility put the best people around me that they could choose and this makes the job easier because, especially on Friday, FP1 is not too difficult for us, especially the second start I’m still a little hung up, but we’re getting there little by little. Second weekend we’ve been doing solo rhythms I’ve gone to Q2 by myself so we’re slowly coming back. Let’s go in parts and hopefully the first two rows on the grid, that’s the goal.”explained Pedro Acosta.

He recognizes that “things are becoming more and more difficult for me, they are coming more naturally and smoothly to me, and managing things is becoming more tolerable for me.”

The top three KTMs went straight into Q2. “I heard last year they suffered a lot. This year overall the bike has improved and they brought a slightly different concept or idea that I think helps a little bit with the vibration problems.”

The three KTMs entered Q2 directly, but he did not dare to consider them favorites: “First we have to start calmly in Qualyfing, tomorrow many people will push, today the circuit record has been broken. We have a “The older man is going very fast lately and Maverick will show his head. It’s not just the three of us. There are the two Aprilias, the KTM, there are Ducatis from Martín and Pecco.”

“We already count Aprilia here because Aleix and Maverick did 1 and 2 last year, it’s a given and we have to count Pecco and Martín. And Pecco always does that invisible thing on Friday and then takes the pole on Saturday.”

And about the performance of Aleix Espargaró, who was with him in a manager, he revealed that “I told him, man, go easy, you can’t leave us like this, you’re making us suffer, but hey, happy for him, in the end it’s his career.” from home, he is always super motivated, always with a smile on his face. And he deserves it because he hasn’t had the easiest career in the world and I think he was competitive earlier. , not based on work, because I think there are very few people in the paddock who are struggling to carry a lot of stuff because I am twenty years old and I got to my mother’s house and she is a mother, how is the food and the family, children and him is very easy, but I hope that tomorrow will be slower.”

And he didn’t want to share what he wished for his 20th birthday, which he will celebrate this Saturday: “I’ve asked for everything, I hope it goes well.”