MOTOGP: After a spectacular near-miss for victory at Motegi last year, KTM ace Pedro Acosta insists he is heading into the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix with ‘no expectations,’ citing significant bike changes.
One year after his dramatic rookie performance at Motegi saw him crash out of the lead in the Sprint and later fall while battling for a podium in the Grand Prix, Pedro Acosta is refusing to be drawn into pre-race hype for the 2025 Japanese GP.
Despite enjoying a recent resurgence in form that has marked him as a potential frontrunner this weekend, the KTM star issued a cautious statement during Thursday’s press conference.
“I mean, last year from the moment I jumped on the bike we were quite competitive,” Acosta noted. “Let’s see what is going on this year. Being honest, I’m not expecting anything.”
“Let’s see what happens when I am on the bike on Friday, and after that let’s try to work. Well, I think we should suit [this track]. But, as I said, no expectations.”
Acosta pointed to the evolution of the KTM machine as a key factor in his conservative outlook. “It’s true that the bike changed a lot. It looks now more balanced. Last year we were super strong on brakes and this year it looks not that much. But we are improving in many areas. For this, I think we have to be calm and not think so much.”
🎯 Qualifying Identified as Key Weakness
While the Spaniard’s raw pace is undeniable, his biggest hurdle this season remains qualifying. Acosta has yet to secure a front-row start, a weakness he is determined to address in the final rounds of the championship.
“Well, again, no targets,” he said regarding his end-of-season aims. “Try to be always in this top five, try to be constantly competitive. I think I need to improve how I am managing the races, how the guys are managing the race weekend.”
Acosta was blunt about the cost of starting further down the grid. “More than anything [I need to improve qualifying] because we are losing too much time at the beginning of races trying to overtake. It’s true that for the TV it’s quite nice, but for the result it’s not that good. It’s never easy to come back every weekend from the third row of the grid. Let’s try to improve that area from here to the end of the season.”
The young gun will be looking to translate his undeniable race craft into better grid positions starting this weekend in Japan.
