Spain’s Pedro Acosta is confident that he can build on his brilliant rookie MotoGP World Championship season last year and challenge for the 2025 title with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Brad Binder as he makes the step up to being a full-time factory rider.
Acosta finished sixth in the 2024 standings, just two points behind South African Binder, after five impressive podium places, one pole position and two fastest laps for Red Bull GasGas Tech3 saw him crowned Rookie of the Year to add to his 2021 Moto3 world title and 2023 Moto2 world title.
This time around, the 20-year-old from Mazarrón believes that he can break through and claim his maiden MotoGP victory as a full-time factory rider for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing with talented Italian Enea Bastianini, 27, and fellow Spaniard Maverick Viñales, 30, also announced as the 2025 Red Bull KTM Tech3 riders.
Four Red Bull liveried KTMs return to the MotoGP field for the first time since 2020 with the 2025 KTM RC16s out to make a big impression for the manufacturer’s ninth year in the blue-riband series, which sees the riders tackle 22 rounds in 18 countries starting with the Thai GP on March 2.
KTM Motorsports Director Pit Beirer revealed, “With Brad, Pedro, Enea and Maverick as well as all the experience and knowledge in the pitboxes there is a lot of positivity and adrenaline to get started. This season could be massive for us, and I hope it will be.”
Here is what Acosta himself had to say ahead of the Malaysia MotoGP IRTA test from February 5-7:
How proud are you to wear orange this year as a full-time factory rider?
“Super proud – it is a dream come true. We need to remember that I was racing in orange since I was 14 in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. It was not easy to see myself racing in red for one full year, but I learned a lot from last season and now I feel a lot more prepared to race again in orange.”
What will be the biggest difference going from satellite to factory team?
“To be honest, I have to say I was feeling like a ‘factory guy’ even when I was in the satellite team because KTM was really helping me to feel like that but it is true that I’m super happy to have the best group of people that I’ve had throughout my career around me.”
What are your development goals for the season?
“For sure we need to improve a lot, for example the qualifying results and the first laps of the races then we can see if we have the pace and potential to fight for victories and podium positions. Maybe starting a little bit more in the front could help me to fight for those podiums.”
How would you evaluate your mental growth over the year 2024 and how do you approach 2025?
“There have been many moments when we were prepared to make the first win or podium, but lost it. This year I aim to prepare harder mentally, to be clear and honest with myself where the mistakes are made and how to not make them again. The fact is that we have the potential for more.”
Can you compare the level of competition between the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and MotoGP?
“It’s not so different. It’s true that now in MotoGP also the bikes play an important role in the game but, in the Rookies Cup, the quality is also very high and, in the end, you are fighting together with 22 boys to make your dream come true. It’s even more pressure than MotoGP. It’s quite tough being 16-17 years old and fighting for that, knowing that maybe it’s now or never. If you can make it in the Rookies Cup, then you are ready for bigger classes.”
How important will it be to have Brad as a teammate this season?
“It was a dream come true coming to the factory team after being in Moto3 and Moto2. Also having Brad as a teammate and helping develop the bike will be a very good point. It will help that he has a lot of experience in the class and I think we will make a good match together.”
2025 MotoGP pre-season dates
February 5-7: Malaysia MotoGP IRTA test (Sepang International Circuit)
February 9: 2025 MotoGP Launch (Bangkok)
February 12-13: Thailand MotoGP IRTA test (Buriram International Circuit)
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