Pedro Acosta endured a challenging outing at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Goiânia, where a high-risk tyre strategy and underlying bike limitations combined to derail a promising race.
With the race distance reduced to 23 laps due to track conditions, Acosta opted for Michelin’s soft rear tyre, a choice that initially paid off. Starting from ninth on the grid, the KTM rider surged through the field to fourth, overtaking key rivals including Jorge Martin and Alex Marquez in the early stages.
However, the aggressive strategy began to unravel midway through the race. By lap 11, tyre degradation became a major issue, with grip dropping significantly and pace falling away. Acosta was unable to maintain his position and eventually slipped back to finish seventh, more than ten seconds behind race winner Marco Bezzecchi.
Source: Motorsport.com
While tyre wear played a key role, Acosta pointed to a more fundamental concern with the KTM RC16. He highlighted a lack of straight-line speed as a critical weakness, particularly when compared to leading rivals. Data from the race showed a noticeable gap at the speed trap, limiting his ability to defend and attack on the straights.
“We’re lacking a lot of speed on the straights, and there’s nothing we can do about that,” Acosta said. He also noted that the bike places heavy demands on the front tyre, which further complicates performance on demanding circuits.
The result marked a shift in tone for the young Spaniard, who had impressed earlier in the season with strong performances, including a Sprint win and a runner-up finish in Buriram. In contrast, his assessment in Goiânia was more measured, acknowledging that the current package still falls short of expectations.
“The bike wasn’t that bad last year, nor is this year’s bike that good,” he admitted.
Looking ahead, Acosta expects further challenges at upcoming rounds such as Austin, with improvements likely to focus on cornering performance. However, he acknowledged that resolving the straight-line speed deficit will be more difficult in the short term.
Despite the setback, the race provided valuable insight for KTM as the team continues to search for consistency and competitiveness at the front of the MotoGP field.
