Pedro Acosta suggests MotoGP Sprint race change after “boring” Sachsenring

Pedro Acosta suggested that Sprint races should be held over a fixed number of laps, rather than simply half of a grand prix, after a ‘boring’ Saturday race in Germany.

The top seven riders remained in the same order from the opening lap to the chequered flag on lap 15.

Acosta, who finished eighth, was the first rider to gain positions after climbing from tenth on the opening lap.

"15 laps is a lot for a Sprint"

Asked if the ‘boring’ race had been more exciting on the bike, he replied:

“No. Definitely not. I think also it's quite tough to have nice races for the fans if a Sprint is 15 laps. It's quite difficult.

“I understand that it's a rule that [the Sprint] is just half of the [Grand Prix] race, but 15 laps is a lot for a Sprint.

“Maybe you can make it until lap 10, more or less.

“Because from first to eighth place, I was there, was only around 3 seconds [until lap 10]. This can be a nice show.

“Maybe reduce the laps in the sprint race, in tracks that we have that many laps.”

Acosta also confirmed that trying to follow another rider closely had been tricky.

“What is difficult is being behind other people. If you are really really close, this is more difficult than overtaking.”

Nonetheless, the Spaniard felt eighth place reflected KTM's current level of competitiveness.

“This is normal. I mean, it's not a surprise that Ducati is fast and Aprilia is fast. This is the reality.

“When we suffer, normally we can more or less manage to be in the top five, somehow. And other times we struggle [and are] in our natural position. That is 7th, 9th, 10th more or less.

“For this, it's a normal weekend. It's true that I was not expecting to suffer that much with the front and not that much with the rear.”

The positive news was the condition of his wrist following recent carpal tunnel surgery.

“Super happy about the hand. At one point I started to have a bit of pain. But it's not the thing that is stopping my results at the moment,” he said.

“I'm happy. I feel the fingers. I feel the hand. Everything on point.

“But we are struggling a lot with the front tyre somehow. If we had the grip that we have in the beginning, we can manage.

“But we start to struggle, and we start to lose the pace. It's what it is at the moment.”

Acosta also welcomed MotoGP's revised grid formation, which increased the spacing between riders for the first time.

“It’s the first thing that we do about safety that is more safe. Definitely. I mean, you arrive to the first corner making a good start, and you can pass the guys of your line.

“Maybe to try to pass the guys in the line in front is much difficult. It's just under braking. But you arrive to the first corner, and you have only one guy by your side or maybe two, but not five all around.

“For this, I think we make a good step.”