Pedro Acosta: Rise of the rookie
03 May 2024Some MotoGP rookies make more of an immediate splash than others; Marc Márquez, Brad Binder and Jorge Martín being the most recent examples. But in 2024, a new rookie has begun making a name for himself, carving out his own narrative of overnight sensation and youthful determination. That rookie is Red Bull GasGas Tech3’s Pedro Acosta.
More often than not, an infectious smile is plastered across the Spaniard’s face. But don’t be fooled by the warm exterior. On track, he’s a ruthless racer with an appetite for victory akin to that of a young Márquez.
With two podiums to his name in the first four races, Pedro sits just 23 points shy of the top of the table. Not only that, but he is the first of the non-Ducati riders, meaning he has outperformed both factory KTMs along with a host of other challengers.
At just 19 years old, he’s certainly made his mark early in the premier class, but what did it take for Acosta to reach MotoGP? Here, we chronicle his meteoric rise from first ride of a motocross bike at the age of five, to international stardom 14 years later.
READ MORE: Your 2024 rider line-up
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
2019-2020
His first of two seasons in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup yielded three victories and the runner-up spot in the championship. While contesting the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship in parallel, the 2020 season would be his coming of age.
Three victories and five further podiums yielded third in the final standings of the junior series while an imperious six wins from the opening six races and another three podiums were enough to secure Acosta his first title in the Rookies Cup.
Moto3
2021
While 2020 was a pivotal season in Pedro’s career, 2021 was the year in which his astonishing results really made people sit up and take notice.
Most notably, at the second race of the season at Doha, he started from the pit lane while the rest of the field lined up on the grid, and fought his way through the entire 28-rider field to take a famous win. As if that wasn’t enough, he finished on the podium in his first race, and took another five victories en route to the title in his maiden season.
In the end, it was a historic season for Pedro. He became the first Moto3 rider to win from a pit lane start, as well as becoming the first rookie to claim the title in the lightweight class in 31 years. He also became the second youngest Grand Prix Champion in history. Not bad for a 17-year-old!
Moto2
2022
Although his impact on the Moto2 Championship wasn’t quite as instantaneous as Moto3, the young Spaniard still managed to notch three race wins and two additional podiums during his first season. He placed fifth in the end-of-year standings – an impressive result in its own right, but there was more to come.
2023
The 2023 season would be the year in which Pedro secured his future. Seven wins and a total of 15 podiums from 20 rounds meant Acosta sealed the championship with a mammoth 83-point buffer.
In a season with truly fierce competition - Tony Arbolino, Fermín Aldeguer and Great Britain’s Jake Dixon among others – Acosta established himself as a cut above the rest.
With the Moto2 title secured and having claimed three titles in the past four seasons, this promising young rider was ready to take the final step into MotoGP.
MotoGP
2024
As is the case with Formula 1 and Formula 2, Moto2 is an excellent proving ground for upcoming riders, but nothing compares to the premier class, and little can prepare you for the transition. Apparently, no one told Pedro Acosta that.
Having finished an impressive ninth on debut in Qatar, Pedro then stunned the paddock in Portugal with a superb ride through the field to third place.
You’d think a podium finish in your second MotoGP race would satisfy a fresh-faced motorcycle racer, but no. An insatiable desire for victory brought Acosta to within touching distance of the top spot in just his third MotoGP race.
With a lightening-quick start, Pedro took the lead of the Grand Prix of the Americas into Turn 1 and vied for first with the likes of Jorge Martín and Marc Márquez for much of the 20-lap contest, before eventually conceding the win to Maverick Viñales.
The Spanish Grand Prix would herald yet another podium – albeit in a Sprint – to round out an ominous first four events for the rookie. The consensus in the paddock is that he’s only just getting started.
