Pit Beirer: “Special” Pedro Acosta “a diamond”, “positive pressure”

While rider and team are careful to avoid predicting any results, there is no doubt that KTM is delighted to have held on to its rising star Pedro Acosta for a MotoGP debut in 2024.

With two titles in his three grand prix seasons, the Spanish teenager has a better record in the junior classes than Valentino Rossi or Marc Marquez. Acosta is also the most eagerly anticipated rookie since the #93 made his premier-class debut in 2013.

Acosta’s value to KTM was underlined by its efforts to secure an extra MotoGP grid place for 2024 and, when that proved impossible, a subsequent agreement with Pol Espargaro which saw the factory’s former team leader step down to testing and wild-cards.

“Well, I think with Pedro the whole paddock and community agrees that there is a diamond coming up  in this sport,” Beirer said of Acosta, who will partner Augusto Fernandez at the Red Bull GASGAS team.

“He is a very special rider, a very unique rider who has already broken so many records in  his  young age.  He  had a  first  test that  was  really strong.

“I  feel the  team  now is  in  a good  position  having Augusto and Pedro, I feel it’s a really great base for the future.

“Pedro especially, he will learn  very quickly. I would not be surprised if he gave us some nice highlights in his first MotoGP season.”

But with such expectation comes pressure, both for Acosta and the GASGAS/KTM project.

“It’s just an advantage because if you cannot handle pressure then you had better not come to MotoGP, not as a team member but also not as a rider. We are there to  handle this pressure, and that’s  the same also for Pedro,” Beirer said.

“But he will make us better and  stronger for the future, so we all enjoy to have  him and have this positive pressure: we want to perform and we want to do a good job for him and I  know he wants to bring great results for us.

“It is a big plus having such a great rider on our side.”

While much attention is focussed on Acosta, Beirer is also curious to see what team-mate and fellow Moto2 champion Augusto Fernandez can do in year two.

“To work with Augusto was definitely a big pleasure because he is super-positive and a fighter,” Beirer said.

“Of course he had to learn so many new things. To jump from Moto2, even as a world champion, into  MotoGP it is a different dimension and you need to learn many things.

“But he was open for everything  and was listening to the team and working really hard. He has done really great for a rookie in MotoGP  and I’m looking forward to see what he can do in his second season.