The MotoGP rider who compares himself to Casey Stoner even though he’s never won a premier-class title

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Casey Stoner is one of the most celebrated world champions to come out of MotoGP, and one current rider has compared himself to the two-time title winner despite never having won a race in the premier class so far.

Since his retirement from the sport in 2012, Stoner has become an enigmatic figure within the world of Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

The Australian spent just seven years as a rider in the premier class and left the category as one of the most formidable competitors to ever grace a two-wheeled prototype.

He played a massive part in the development of several MotoGP riders today, with Jack Miller praising Stoner as one of the main reasons why he became interested in Grand Prix motorcycle racing in the first place.

• READ MORE: Michele Pirro has seen the same ‘important’ quality in Marc Marquez that he saw in Casey Stoner

Pedro Acosta thinks Casey Stoner is the closest comparison to his riding style in MotoGP

Marc Marquez’s riding style has been tipped to have been an evolution of Stoner’s heroics on two wheels in the past, and one of the Spaniard’s main rivals in the MotoGP paddock also fancies himself as a homage-payer to the two-time world champion.

In a recent interview with GPOne, KTM’s Pedro Acosta was asked about the MotoGP legend who he thinks he dons a similar sort of riding style to.

After jokingly saying, “Schwantz is too old for that,” Acosta answered with, “I would say Casey Stoner.”

The 21-year-old has showcased impressive performances during his sophomore season in the premier class this year, and has been tipped to be a future world champion in years to come, providing he is given the tools to do so.

With Stoner being the embodiment of old-school style racers, Acosta channelled inspiration from the Australian through his ride at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Acosta requested that all electronic devices be stripped from his KTM bike ahead of the proceedings in Sepang, and he went on to record his best points tally from a race weekend due to it.

• READ MORE: Casey Stoner tells KTM rider Pedro Acosta where he ‘still’ has ‘a lot of space’ to improve

Pedro Acosta also revealed the battle he has enjoyed the most during his racing career

With the 2025 campaign marking the Murcian native’s fifth season in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, he was also asked about the most enjoyable battle he has ever had during his career.

Acosta replied, “That’s a difficult question. I haven’t been in MotoGP for very long. I feel I still need to gain more experience.

“In the past, there have been lots of overtakes, but in my first year in Moto3, for example, I really enjoyed battling with Masia, who was my teammate at the time in the KTM Ajo team.

“If I had to choose, I’d pick that year.”

Acosta’s rise through the ranks is one of the reasons why he is tipped so highly to be such a successful figure within the sport.

The Spaniard won the title in that year he alluded to with Jaume Masia, and went on to add a Moto2 world title to his collection just two years later.