Tag: Pedro Acosta

The rookie sensation extends his lead with another milestone win as huge final corner drama shakes up the podium

Jerez, 2 May 2021: Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is no stranger to making some history in 2021, but the rookie sensation has done it again in the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, fighting through to the front and escaping some final corner drama for his third win in a row. He’s the youngest rider ever to do that, and he’s also the first rider ever to take four podiums on his first four Grand Prix appearances. Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) took second as the veteran got his gloves off at the front, with Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) overcoming two Long Lap penalties to complete the podium.

Pedro Acosta: “Normally here I have some problems to get the pace for my racing style but the team worked so hard because in Warm Up we were changing the setting a bit to be competitive in the race. Öncü and Romano were in another world, they were so strong, but in the end I knew what the strategy for the last lap was: trying to cross the finish line first. And we’re here again!”

As the lights went out it was Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) who took the holeshot from pole, the Japanese rider leading the freight train away shadowed by Andera Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3). Rodrigo hit quick for second though, before the Argentinean duelled for the lead and took it after a few exchanges.

Drama then hit for John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) as the Scotsman crashed out, and more drama wasn’t long coming. After a shuffle just behind saw Rodrigo pull out a small gap, disaster struck as the pack started to close back in. A crash at Turn 7 saw the early leader out the running, with Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) taking over at the front as he and teammate Ayumu Sasaki made early gains.

By 17 to go, two key contenders were out, those with penalties had started taking their Long Laps, and Acosta was on a charge. Up into second behind the fellow KTM of Öncü, the Championship leader had made short work of his P13 starting position to slot into the front four, and he soon hit the front for the first time not long after.

The freight train was 14 riders at the front as the classic Moto3™ melee began in earnest, but in another blink of an eye a second group managed to tag on to make it 19 riders fighting for 15 points-scoring positions once again. The next man out of that train was sadly polesitter Suzuki though, with the Japanese rider crashing and able to rejoin but then heading into pitlane. 

Meanwhile, at the front it was a story of three KTMs and things were getting spicy between Öncü, Acosta and his teammate Jaume Masia. Fenati made for close company in fourth, with Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Sasaki and Migno the last in a now-breakaway group of seven fighting for the win. That spice, however, made life and pace harder work at the front and soon enough the concertina drew the pack back together. There remained, however, a distinctly orange flavour to the gaggle at the front…

At the exit of Turn 6 on the penultimate lap, there was a heart in mouth moment for Acosta as he had a big moment, leaving Öncü duelling Masia for the lead and a gap back to Fenati and Acosta. After the final corner and the slipstream down the straight, however, the two leaders were back pegged to Acosta and Fenati… and in that order.

Heading into Turn 6 for the last time, there were no repeats of his moment a lap earlier for Acosta. As Öncü defended too hard from Masia, a tiny gap opened on the inside and Acosta needed no invitation. Slamming into the lead it was the number 37 on the verge of history once again, but there was more drama coming at the final corner.

Öncü, after losing the lead earlier, was looking ready to make a lunge and the Turk went for it up the inside, then losing the front and sliding out with a domino disaster: Masia was first collected before Binder also got swiped, with all three down into the run off and Acosta left with a clear run to the line. In the right place at the right time, the Spaniard had closed the door to perfection for his third win in three races.

Fenati avoided the skittle to come through for second, with Alcoba gaining from the crash ahead to convert a difficult race into an impressive ride back through to the podium. Fourth went to Migno as he retained his impressive 2021 consistency, with Sasaki in fifth after another good turn of speed from the Japanese rider fighting at the front.

Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Moto3) took sixth ahead of an impressive seventh for Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP), with Niccolo Antonelli (Reale Avintia Moto3), Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) and Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PrüstelGP) completing the top ten and the front group. Izan Guevara (Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team), Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team), Sergio Garcia (Solunion GASGAS Aspar Team) and Yuki Kunii (Honda Team Asia) completed the points.

That’s it from Jerez and another stunner from the man of the moment. What awaits in Le Mans? We’ll find out soon enough with just one weekend off before the French Grand Prix.

Moto3 top-3:

1 Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – 39:22.266
2 Romano Fenati – Sterilgarda Max Racing Team – Husqvarna – +0.417
3 Jeremy Alcoba – Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3 – Honda – +527

A brutally brilliant last lap move from the Spaniard sees him take to the top step once again on the Algarve

Portimao, 18 April 2021: Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) has done it again! The rookie sensation took a hard-fought victory at the Grande Premio 888 de Portugal after a brilliant last lap move on Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), keeping it pinned to the line to make a little more history. After becoming the first rider to win from pitlane in Moto3™ last time out, Acosta is now the youngest rider with three Grand Prix podiums in a row and the first rider since MotoGP™ Legend Daijiro Kato to take podiums on his first three GP appearances. Oh, and Acosta extended his Championship lead to a stunning 31 points after just three races. Behind the duel for the win won by the Spaniard, Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) converted pole into a podium after showing great pace all weekend.

It was Migno who took the holeshot, the Italian off like a shot from pole and into the lead ahead of a storming start from Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing). Foggia slotted into third ahead of Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Valresa Aspar Team), with a lead freight train forming from the off. Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) had his pitlane start first, before five seconds later Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) set off. Then, John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing).

Back at the front, Artigas took the lead at the end of Lap 1, but the rookie’s impressive race would sadly provide the first drama as a touch from Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) sent him tumbling out of contention. Rodrigo was given a Long Lap penalty for the incident, and the freight train rolled on.

Foggia was the man doing a lot of the work in the lead, the Leopard rider looking confident out front and Acosta tagged onto him, up at the sharp end immediately alongside teammate Jaume Masia, Garcia, Migno, Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and a few more familiar frontrunning faces. By nine to go, there was more drama as Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) collected Izan Guevara (GASGAS Valresa Aspar Team) and the two crashed out. The leading train was 11 riders, with Rodrigo back on their tail after his Long Lap.

The next drama came from Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) as the rookie collected the veteran, leaving a nine-rider group fighting for the win – and the familiar Leopard and Red Bull KTM Ajo colours at the front. As the laps ticked on the fervour went up a few notches, and with four to go the Turn 1 shuffle was getting brutal as Acosta headed a little wide with nowhere else to go, Migno took back the lead and Foggia had to settle for second.

By the penultimate lap, Foggia led Acosta and that’s how the final lap began as just behind, Garcia somehow saved a highside but that was the Spaniard’s podium hopes over. Meanwhile, Masia was up to P3 but then there was yet more drama at Turn 5 as the number 5 slid down the road, his hopes of a race win over too. Now, it was a straight fight between Foggia and Acosta.

Acosta was a monster on the brakes at Turn 11 and clawed back enough ground and then, at Turn 13, the rookie sensation made his move: late on the brakes, up the inside, full lean angle, clean pass. Just two corners remained before a run to the line, but coming over the crest of the final corner, Acosta’s KTM was squirming. Somehow he didn’t crash, but it did help Foggia as the two pinned it and tucked in for the line.

It was only 0.051, but Acosta held it and won his second consecutive race as he extends his points lead to a stunning 31, making yet another statement with another win. Foggia is back on the podium for the second time on the Algarve, and it was Migno who emerged from the battle to complete the podium to take third, just 0.013 ahead of Sasaki as the Japanese rider was back in the fight at the front.

Rodrigo finished P5 despite his long lap, and he beat Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) by less than a tenth as the fastest seven riders finish 0.773s apart after some incredible racing again in Moto3™.

Garcia was in amongst it throughout but that late, out the seat moment on the last lap cost the Spaniard and he took eighth. Despite the Turn 5 tumble, Masia salvaged ninth to slot in behind the freight train out front.

Ryusei Yamanaka (CarXpert PrüstelGP) picks up another top 10 in 2021 with P10, and he led Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and teammate Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP) over the line. Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team) took home P13 from Portimao, with Alcoba and Öncü doing well to pick up the remaining points despite pitlane starts on a five second delay.

That’s it from Portugal. Next up: Jerez and another track Acosta knows well. Will the dream Grand Prix debut season continue? You wouldn’t bet against it!

Moto3 Podium:

1 Pedro Acosta – Red Bull KTM Ajo – KTM – 38:01.773
2 Dennis Foggia – Leopard Racing – Honda – +0.051
3 Andrea Migno – Rivacold Snipers Team – Honda – +0.584

Pedro Acosta: “It was an amazing race, no? After this difficult weekend with the conditions and everything. I think that my mechanics did an amazing job to do this. Before the race Aki asked me, ‘what is the race strategy?’ and I said ‘have fun for 25 minutes and then take the trophy!’ It’s amazing to be here again!”