GASGAS: ‘Give Pedro Acosta time to learn the bike, top ten a great target’
Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3 KTM have warned about placing too high expectations on the young shoulders of Pedro Acosta.
The only rookie in MotoGP this season, Pedro Acosta is not an ordinary rookie as the Spaniard is one of the best young talents the sport has ever seen.
A Moto3 world champion as a rookie and Moto2 world champion in his second season in the class, Acosta arrives at MotoGP on a bike that should be competitive from the outset.
But Acosta’s team manager Nicolas Goyon, says expectations need to be realistic.
Speaking to MotoGP.com, Goyon said: “What can Pedro achieve this year? I really think that, after a period after Covid, it is getting more difficult.
“Riding a MotoGP bike is not like ten years ago when you could fight straight away for some podiums. Now it is really competitive and the bike is tricky to understand.
“You need to understand the device on the front, device on the rear and there are a lot of buttons. This all takes time to understand.
“I think we need to give some time to Pedro to learn the bike and how to ride the bike. If you just look at all these aerodynamics where you have more load on the front, braking there is more weight on the rear and these are all things you need to integrate.
“The rear is where you also have a lot to learn. So my message to the fans is to be patient. Give him time to learn the bike. I think around the top ten positions is a great target.”
Goyon’s example of a rider who did great things as a rookie and someone to potentially try and emulate for Acosta, is Marco Bezzecchi who went on to win multiple races in his second campaign (2023).
“Look at someone like Marco Bezzecchi who had a great rookie year, he ended up being ninth in his first season and he is Marco Bezzecchi.”
Acosta, who as a result of being a rookie has already begun pre-season testing, was in action today at the Sepang Shakedown test.
It was the reigning Moto2 world champion’s second day aboard the RC16 machine.
Not used today was the new carbon chassis that the GASGAS team will have for the first time, but Goyon expects Acosta to get his hands on that in the coming days.
“Yes we will have the carbon chassis,” said the Frenchman. “We will try it but I’m not sure if we are going to try it straight away. But we will definitely have it.
“We’re delighted to be on the same level as the factory team.”
