Pedro Acosta reveals what prevented a deal to join VR46’s Moto2 team

Pedro Acosta has revealed that he could have signed with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team.

The negotiations were for 2022, his first season in Moto2.

But, despite Acosta’s good rapport with Rossi himself, an agreement never materialised.

“We talked with him, with MarcVDS and with KTM about going to Moto2,” when Acosta was Moto3 champion, he remembered to MOW.

“I remember that we were halfway through the season, between Silverstone and Austria.

“I understood that the learning phase in Moto3 was over for me, out of ten races I had won five and achieved quite a few podiums.”

But Acosta explained the difficulty of the negotiation: “I have my manager, a contract with Alpinestars and one with Red Bull.

“It wasn't easy to make this change.

“We talked and VR46 had a good option for us, but it was difficult for the sponsors.

“It was still a wonderful thing to talk to them and know that they would have liked to have me with them."

Instead, Acosta stuck with KTM and finished fifth in his first season in Moto2. He became the champion last year, and is currently proving to be a thrilling addition to the premier class.

Intriguingly his personal relationship with Rossi has endured.

Acosta has twice taken part in the MotoGP legend’s annual race at his ranch.

“I did the 100km for two years, it's really nice to see how Valentino managed everything and how he approaches the guys who go out for a ride,” he said.

“And then you train and he comes to talk to you, he asks you many things.

“After my first test for MotoGP we talked a lot about what it was like for me to ride that bike and he taught me a few things, about the Michelins for example...

“It's nice to have such a relationship with Valentino."

Next year, both Rossi’s VR46 team and Acosta are set for a boost in machinery.

VR46 are expected to benefit from the use of one factory-spec Ducati, likely in the hands of Fabio di Giannantonio.

Acosta, meanwhile, will be promoted from Tech3 into KTM’s factory team.

He has stunned onlookers this season as the sole rookie in MotoGP.

Although his form has dipped at recent rounds amid questions over the KTM’s competitiveness, few dispute that Acosta will challenge for championships in the future.