Pedro Acosta labels Australia MotoGP ‘hardest race of the year mentally’

KTM’s Pedro Acosta has labelled the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix “the hardest race of the year mentally” as he seeks his first podium at Phillip Island in the premier class.

The 21-year-old returns to Australia a year on from a “not so fun” debut at Phillip Island on a MotoGP bike in 2024, in which he was a non-starter after a heavy crash in the sprint.

He comes to Phillip Island this season off the back of a run to second at the Indonesian Grand Prix and believes the KTM is working better in 2025 around fast, flowing circuits.

“For sure, it’s the hardest race of the year mentally,” he said on Thursday.

“There are not many tracks in the world where you can go that fast next to the see with all that wind.

“For this, we will try to enjoy it. It’s true that it’s not my best track of the year, but it’s also true that KTM was improving in tracks like this - like Assen, like Silverstone.

“Let’s try to give our best. In Indonesia we suffered more than expected but we managed to be on the podium.

“For this, let’s try to keep this consistency where now we are fighting for the top five and don’t make mistakes like in the sprint race.

“Last year was not so fun to be a MotoGP rider here. Last year I was missing a lot of track time and I was not able to put many laps together.

“Also FP2 was wet and it was a mess in the qualifying.

“Let’s try to put many laps together, let’s try to give our 100% and try to put everything together because it can be a good weekend for us.”

Is Pedro Acosta’s maiden MotoGP win on the cards in Australia?

With last year’s winner Marc Marquez, as well as his fellow front row starters from 2024 Jorge Martin and Maverick Vinales, absent through injury, this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix is poised to be the most unpredictable race of the season.

As such, Acosta is being looked at to finally end his wait for a first victory in MotoGP.

On this, he said: “We cross the fingers. In ’23 Brad [Binder] was fighting for the victory.

“Last year he was also fighting for the top three. Let’s see how we can start the weekend.

“Let’s jump on the bike tomorrow and see how I feel. I think, like I say, if we can put everything together it can be a good weekend for us. But, like I said, no expectations.”