The MotoGP World Championship resumes this coming weekend in Jerez de la Frontera, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Two-time World Champion Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati) finds himself under pressure as he stands fifth in the championship rankings, while class newcomer Pedro Acosta of the Red Bull-GASGAS-Tech3 team, led by Hervè Poncharal, arrives in his homeland in an impressive fourth place with 54 points.

Acosta, a Moto3 and Moto2 champion, recently achieved sensational second and third-place finishes in Austin and Portimao, respectively. “Now comes my first home race, and it’s at a very good time,” Acosta notes. “We’ve managed two consecutive podiums so far, and I’m really looking forward to racing in Jerez.”

The 19-year-old, who celebrated with his crew in Austin to the tune of the Spanish party anthem “Pedro, Pedro, Pedro – Pedro, Pe,” emphasizes, “I remain under no pressure. What I do have is a desire to hit the track and race in front of perhaps the best fans in the world. Our goal for the weekend remains the same: we want to have fun while continuing with our high work dynamic.”

Acosta also admits, “It’s true that Jerez de la Frontera is one of my favorite tracks, and our test team has done a lot of riding there. So, I’m confident that the motorcycle will perform well. We also know that the RC16 does well in Jerez, looking back at the results from 2023. This motivates me even more to give it my all from the first session on Friday.”

Indeed, the 2023 Jerez GP was a celebration for the KTM RC16. Both Red Bull riders secured podium spots, and wildcard Dani Pedrosa surprised everyone by finishing seventh, only six seconds behind the winner, Pecco Bagnaia.