The fever for Pedro Acosta Sánchez (Puerto de Mazarrón, Murcia; 19 years old) reaches new heights in Jerez, one of the great prizes where the fans are most devoted to the MotoGP riders. The young debutant from GasGas, who has two podiums in three races and threatens to break Marc Márquez’s precocity record as a grand prix winner, attends EL PAÍS somewhat exhausted. Everyone wants an autograph, a photo or a short time chatting with the new phenomenon of the category. Patient despite the wave of commitments, he even attends to the delivery people who deliver packages to his home. “Sorry, man,” he apologizes after answering the call. “Then I’ll ask my grandmother, see what he is,” he smiles. In addition to speed, he has charisma for a while.
Ask. Everyone is talking about you at the start of the World Cup, how are you doing?
Answer. Being honest and realistic, neither I nor anyone else expected this. The first time I got on a MotoGP I was 18th, a second or so from the lead, but on the second day with the bike, in the Malaysia test, we took a very big step and it was a surprise. Expectations are not good for me or anyone else, but we have to accept it and let things calm down.
Q. There are only 22 places here: when did it become clear that you were going to be among the best?
R. I was never sure if it was going to arrive. Things can go wrong here very quickly, and one day you’re touching the moon and the next you’re on the canvas. This must be taken into account, and the idea is to get a firm base and settle into leading positions.
Q. He has two consecutive podiums, and most legends have already said that they see him winning a race soon, do you also see victory close?
R. Legends talk a lot, don’t they? Focusing now on winning would be a mistake. We have to focus on ourselves, and not think about what others say. That is the worst possible pressure, so let’s go little by little, calmly. Our goal is not to win, but to grow within the category, in the garage, on a personal and professional level.
Q. After finishing second in the GP of the Americas he seemed happy, but also annoyed…
R. No one likes to lose. Yes, I was happy, more so than on Saturday, but when I see myself with the ability to achieve certain things, I like to achieve them. I don’t want to miss opportunities. I think it is normal for any competitor in any sport. That experience helped us put our feet on the ground. We are doing it well, we have done it well, but there is someone who has done it even better. This fills me and KTM with energy to continue pushing forward in our mission.
Q. Have your opponents received you well?
R. I don’t know, I’m going about my business, without getting involved. I’m just having a great time.
Q. And Brad Binder and Jack Miller, your fellow veterans at KTM, are they taking it well that you are surpassing them when you just joined the team?
R. The relationship is good. They have all the experience, and they are the ones who really decide where the factory project goes. I do not know. My analysis is limited to saying where the bike is doing well, or where I feel that way. I still don’t know how to ask for things precisely, I can’t say ‘I need this to win’. They do know this, and they are the right people to handle the development of the KTM.
Q. If you put yourself in his place, wouldn’t you mind?
R. No. I would think that it is something that is good for all of us. This causes us all to push harder, and together we raise the personal and collective level.
Q. At 19 years old, many compare you to Marc Márquez, for talent, precocity and self-confidence. What do you think of that?
R. I only compare myself to Pedro Acosta who arrived here in 2021 without a team or anyone, and who is now in MotoGP. I’m still the same child, only I arrived when I was 16 and now I’m turning 20.
Q. He says he writes down the rivals’ license plates, and then gives them the play back. He learns fast…
R. Everyone here has more experience than me. If I am lucky enough to be fighting with the best, and I can also sign up or memorize their tricks to later use them to my advantage, it will always be positive. Being ahead, and having the best beat me, is helping me grow a lot as a driver.
Q. Although he has three Grand Prix races in MotoGP, he already seems like a veteran and even has time to study his rivals by following them on the track. How does he do it?
R. That doesn’t come from now, it comes from many years in racing. The team is helping me a lot. In the United States, I returned to the garage on Saturday very angry. And I told my team. ‘Don’t take it personally’, but it bothers me and it’s normal. I saw myself capable and I failed, the team did nothing wrong. We sat in a circle until eleven at night inside the garage, thinking to see what we would do on Sunday. If they give me 100%, I must give them my 100%, and I will not accept anything less. In my job I don’t accept anything less than the maximum, and they deserve the same from me.
There are people who risk their lives at sea to bring a plate of food to their family; MotoGP is an unreal bubble
Q. For you, is driving something instinctive or a studied and worked process?
R. For me, driving is fun. And so it should be. I started in this because I felt that passion as a child. I liked going with my father to ride a motorcycle, and the only difference is that now I compete in MotoGP. I have a good time riding my motorcycle, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to be here; I couldn’t train six out of seven days a week, I would be exhausted. You may really like seafood, but if you eat seafood every day, you will eventually get an allergy. You have to have fun, and remember why you started driving when you were little.
I enjoy watching my father at the races: he walks around the paddock greeting everyone, with his chest up.
Q. Your family made a risky bet to finance your career. Were you always aware of what was at stake?
R. When you are little you are not aware of anything. You don’t even understand that things can go very well or go very badly for you. My family risked everything for a child’s dream. Now I enjoy seeing my father here at the races, next to me. It is he who looks like a child now. Walk through it paddock with a smile from ear to ear, greeting everyone, with his chest up. Seeing that this has turned out well and they enjoy it so much is something very nice.
Q. In the midst of this media wave that you have generated, what helps you keep your feet on the ground?
R. Coming home and seeing that people risk their necks going out fishing every day. There are people who risk their lives at sea to bring a plate of food to their family, or people who work their asses off picking tomatoes all day. That is reality, and not what we live here. MotoGP is an unreal bubble.
Q. You are fourth in the table, you are with those in front and many see you as a winner soon, do you see yourself as a champion?
R. Ugh, we have to go through several steps first before we can start thinking about that. If we haven’t won a race yet, we’re not going to think about winning a World Cup. It’s early for that.
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