Pedro Acosta and KTM “strong characters, sometimes we were fighting”

KTM’s winter financial crisis and performance issues with the latest RC16, created tensions with its ambitious young star Pedro Acosta, who was openly frustrated at failing to match his rookie season performances.

But everything finally came together at Brno, returning to the world championship for the first time since Brad Binder’s debut RC16 victory in 2020.

Not only did Acosta place second to Marc Marquez in the Sprint race, but Tech3’s Enea Bastianini made it two RC16s on the rostrum.

Acosta then picked up where he had left off in the grand prix, hounding Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi for runner-up for much of the race, before successfully fending off late pressure from Francesco Bagnaia.

“Super happy to have back-to-back podiums,” Acosta told TNT Sports. “It was a tough moment from the beginning of the season.

“We had a target, but from day one it was like everything disappeared and we were lost. We worked super hard from the beginning of the season. We made good steps. Today was the payoff.”

Pedro Acosta was 'angry'

Brno marked the first time a KTM rider had stood on a MotoGP podium since Maverick Vinales’ Qatar demotion. It was also Acosta’s first top-three since last year’s wet Thai Grand Prix.

“It wasn’t an easy moment in Austria for the factory. It wasn’t easy for me, or for anyone,” Acosta said. “I am more than grateful to KTM and to my crew. They were the ones suffering my bad humour or my bad character when I was angry!”

Acosta admitted there were tense moments behind the scenes: “You put two strong characters – myself and the KTM guys – sometimes we were fighting hard. But this was the result of never giving up.”

The 21-year-old had to withstand pressure from Ducati’s Bagnaia in the closing stages of the grand prix.

“We struggled with the front at the end. Pecco was coming super fast,” he said. “Maybe we were consuming too much tyre at the beginning of the race, trying to be close to Marc and Pecco. I was forcing it a bit.

“When you have these opportunities – which, for us, have not been many during the year – we have to take it.”

Looking ahead, Acosta is hopeful the momentum can continue into KTM’s home race at the Red Bull Ring.

“Where we have to improve is clear. The new parts will arrive. Let’s see what’s going on for the Red Bull Ring.”