KTM test rider Pol Espargaro feels Pedro Acosta must understand that the best rider doesn’t always win races and titles in MotoGP, with his RC16 not yet a match to the dominant Ducati GP24s.
Espargaro has urged his rookie stablemate to have some patience as KTM tries to close the gap to the Italian giant in the pecking order after drifting away from the competition in the middle part of the season.
Acosta has begun to show first signs of frustration over his inability to fight at the front due to the lack of competitiveness of his bike, even visiting KTM’s headquarters in Mattighofen last month in order to steer things in the right direction.
After a lacklustre run to 13th in last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, the Tech3 rider told reporters that he had come to Spielberg with “enthusiasm” but was leaving with “pain in my chest”, so disappointed was he with how the race panned out.
However, MotoGP veteran Espargaro believes the 20-year-old can do nothing more than wait for KTM to bridge the gap to Ducati, with 2025 offering the first opportunity for a more competitive battle at the sharp end of the pack.
"Acosta has to understand that, for better or worse, the misfortune of MotoGP is that the best, or the fastest, does not always win," the 33-year-old told Motorsport.com's Spanish edition.
"Unfortunately, it's a sport that is not like tennis or football. A better example would be athletics, where the best wins. Here you have to have other things [competitive bike] apart from talent to be able to win.
"Unfortunately now we don't all have it on our side, or he doesn't have it on his side. But he must be patient and I know that at his age, with the talent and hunger he has, that does not go hand in hand with being patient.
"We are working as hard as possible to catch up with the Ducati. I am convinced that next year will be the beginning of the end of so much dominance.
“But even so, we must continue working and Pedro must continue to believe in the project, a project that he is betting a lot on so that things improve."
Espargaro took part in the Red Bull Ring round as a wildcard rider, finishing two spots ahead of Acosta in 11th on a test version of the RC16.
The same bike was put through its paces by KTM’s other test rider Dani Pedrosa during two days of private running at Misano on Tuesday and Wednesday. Although Acosta wasn’t allowed to put any laps on it due to MotoGP’s strict regulations, he did fly to Italy to watch the test from the sidelines and follow the progress KTM has been making.
While Acosta’s presence in Misano was another illustration of his dedication and hands-on approach, some are of the opinion that he is taking on too much responsibility at a young age.
Speaking on this topic, a renowned MotoGP technician who preferred not to be named told Motorsport.com: "Nobody disputes Acosta's quality, he came in very strong and that's why there is such a big contrast in the results now. Personally I think he has put the whole of KTM on his back and that's too much for such a young guy, no matter how good he is – which he is."
