Marco Bezzecchi
KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa has explained why the Austrian constructor is right to build a MotoGP bike that is ‘more focused’ on Pedro Acosta’s talents than his teammates.
Since moving to the factory KTM team ahead of his sophomore season in the premier class, Pedro Acosta has been the sole representative of the Mattighofen-based outfit at the front of the pack.
The young Spaniard has continued to impress atop sub-optimal machinery again this year, and currently sits third in the riders’ standings, while Enea Bastianini, the next best KTM rider in the championship, occupies P11.
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Following the conclusion of the season-opener in Thailand, Acosta made history by becoming the first KTM rider to lead the world championship. While Marco Bezzecchi has since leapfrogged him in the title race, he remains a threat.
Dani Pedrosa explains why it’s natural for KTM to favour Pedro Acosta’s riding style
During a promotional video for Pont Grup alongside Acosta, Dani Pedrosa was asked about the 21-year-old’s gap to the rest of his teammates within the KTM umbrella.
Ahead of the new campaign, Tech3’s Bastianini urged KTM to look beyond prioritising Acosta in bike development. Still, Pedrosa believes it is entirely natural, given the Spaniard’s status as the factory’s lead rider.
The MotoGP legend began by clarifying that Acosta’s impressive results compared to his stablemates are largely down to his own ability, and not just the bike.
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He said, “A lot of the credit for these results goes to Pedro, because it’s not just this year, but the whole second half and end of the season. He maintained this same momentum, being the brand’s best rider and consistently on the podium.
“Obviously, when a rider is out front like this and fighting for podiums and wins, the bike naturally evolves further in that direction, and that’s where you can fine-tune the details the bike needs to reach the next level.
“Those bike developments are more focused on Pedro’s strengths. There are two aspects: the common benefit, which relates more to structural design.
“Then there are other changes, such as trends in the chassis or swingarm, or the bike’s stiffness, which are obviously more appealing. They are suited to the rider who is leading the way.”
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Acosta also chimed in with his thoughts on the question and asserted that Bastianini, Brad Binder and Maverick Vinales should be benefiting from his ability to push the RC16 into race-winning contention.
He added, “Once you see that another rider on the same bike as you is going faster than you, you’re heading in their direction too. So, I often think it’s much more worthwhile to stay calm with a setup where you know the bike is more or less running well.
“It takes the pressure off a bit. You can focus on doing things right, something we often forget, rather than starting to tinker with things, because I think there comes a point where you get a bit lost and you don’t know why it’s not working out, or why the bike isn’t running well.”
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