Pedro Acosta on “super talented” MotoGP rookie: “You only have to see his videos”

Pedro Acosta believed Diogo Moreira has the raw talent to succeed in MotoGP “sooner or later” - even before the Brazilian clinched the Moto2 title and made his LCR Honda debut at last November’s Valencia test.

The Red Bull KTM rider, a double world champion in the lower classes, said Moreira’s potential has long been obvious from his off-road training skills.

“The guy is super talented for sure, you only have to see his videos making flat track, supermoto, motocross or whatever. He's fast in all disciplines,” Acosta said.

“Even if he came to MotoGP without winning a championship, he will be good because he will not have forgotten how to ride a bike.

“I don't think he will be that competitive from the first day, from what I read about where he will go [later confirmed as LCR Honda], but sooner or later, he can be competitive.”

Acosta has also witnessed Moreira’s dirt-track skills first-hand. 

The pair have both raced at Valentino Rossi’s 100km of Champions, where Moreira formed part of the first non-Italian winning team in January 2025 alongside Thomas Chareyre.

The 21-year-old Brazilian then narrowly missed out on victory in the December edition, finishing second with Federico Fuligni, just 2.4s behind the MotoGP duo Francesco Bagnaia and Augusto Fernandez.

Despite Honda’s move from D to C in the concessions ranking, Moreira will be eligible for the Sepang Shakedown test as a rookie from January 29–31, ahead of the full MotoGP test on February 4–6.

Moreira’s Rookie of the Year rival is also famed for extraordinary bike control: Reigning WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu, who joins MotoGP with Pramac Yamaha this season.