Pedro Acosta received many compliments after his remarkable performance at the Portuguese Grand Prix, where he achieved his first podium in the MotoGP premier category. Acosta, who was promoted to the premier class this season, impressed with a ninth place in his debut in Qatar and followed with a third place in Portimão.
Sylvain Guintoli, commenting on the race, declared Acosta as the standout of the day, exclaiming “Unbelievable!” Guintoli highlighted Acosta’s aggressive riding style, mentioning that despite the bike’s movements, Acosta managed to maintain a consistent pace throughout the race, a sign of his exceptional skill.
Michael Laverty also praised Acosta, describing him as the much-needed talent in MotoGP. Laverty emphasized Acosta’s ability to overtake some of the toughest riders, including Miller, Binder, Marquez, and Bagnaia, making it look easy. Laverty also praised Acosta’s charisma, speed, and style, stating that he possesses all the qualities to make a lasting impact in the sport.
Acosta’s notable performance included overtaking Jack Miller, Brad Binder, Marc Marquez, and Francesco Bagnaia during the race. His podium was further secured when Maverick Vinales crashed on the last lap. Reflecting on his favorite overtake, Acosta highlighted his pass on reigning champion Bagnaia at Turn 3.
In his post-race interview, Acosta expressed his disbelief at the race result, stating that his bike performed much better than the day before. He mentioned that his riding style, which involves managing fuel consumption over long distances, comes naturally to him. Acosta acknowledged that he is still adapting to the premier class, but expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far.
With this podium, Acosta moves up to fifth place in the Drivers’ Championship and is currently the second highest-ranked KTM rider, behind Binder.
