“No power in the brake”: Pedro Acosta’s top-KTM goal evaporates at Barcelona
“A difficult race and managing a problem with the brakes at 350 km/h are two different things”
Two points, and less than two-seconds, cost rookie Pedro Acosta fifth place and top non-Ducati rider in the final 2024 MotoGP World Championship standings.
The GASGAS Tech3 rider began the final grand prix of the season with a two-point advantage over Red Bull KTM’s Brad Binder, despite retiring from the Sprint due to fairing damage from a lap one tangle with Marc Marquez.
It was the 13th time this season Acosta has failed to score, including his non-start in Australia.
But with Binder only 18th on the grid, and Acosta starting sixth, the 20-year-old was still favourite to achieve his goal of confirming fifth in the championship.
However, it was snatched away from him when Binder produced another impressive charge to sixth, while Acosta faded to tenth with a braking issue.
“A difficult race and managing a problem with the brakes when you are riding at 350 km/h are two different things,” said Acosta afterwards.
“I had no power in the brake. It was difficult to manage from lap one. The only thing was that in lap one I had grip in the rear, but when this grip went away there was no f**king way to go fast.
“In lap 12, I was made 40.8. That was not bad at all, and from one lap to the other one I go to 41.4, 41.6, 42s! I don’t even make [42s] in FP1.
“It is what it is. Don't get me wrong, difficult to… understand why.
“I'm OK because looks like I'm not the only one having problems in the whole season, because Marc discussed many times about this. But this cannot be acceptable.”
It is not known if the brake issue was related to damage caused by Acosta's big warm-up accident.
Acosta may not have been the top RC16 rider in the final standings, but he achieved the most KTM podiums (five) and laps in the race lead (13).
"It was a season with high and lows, some really good results, and some frustrating moments with mistakes made, but it was a very positive season in general,” he said.
Acosta will now join Binder at the factory Red Bull KTM team from Tuesday’s Barcelona test.
“I am happy to start another chapter, just next door though as I remain in the family, but I am leaving some people,” he said.
“From the first day I felt welcomed, the mechanics and everyone else around were good to me, so I will forever have in my heart my first season in MotoGP with Tech3."
With team-mate Augusto Fernandez is also departing, probably for a Yamaha test riding rile, with Tech3 running MotoGP race winners Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini next season.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
