MotoGP News: Pedro Acosta Heads to KTM for Answers - 'I'm Not Looking for an Excuse'

MotoGP rookie Pedro Acosta is spending time at KTM headquarters to address recent challenges, aiming to find solutions on their recent drop in performance.

Apr 14, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Pedro Acosta (31) of Spain and Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS before the MotoGP Grand Prix of The Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

MotoGP rookie sensation Pedro Acosta has decided to spend an indefinite period within the KTM headquarters in Austria. Acosta, a name associated with early season promise, has seen a noticeable dip in his bike’s competitiveness, prompting this unconventional approach.

Following a leisurely stint in Ibiza with contemporaries like Jorge Martin and the Espargaro brothers, Acosta is pivoting back to the grind with an intense, open-ended stay at KTM's core facilities.

“I have a one-way ticket, but not a return ticket,” Acosta revealed. "We'll see how many days and weeks I stay there."

Acosta’s strategy revolves around a firsthand exploration of KTM's inner workings. He advocates for direct interaction as a tool for directly solving the issues the team are having.

"It is always better to convey things face to face. If I spend a week there, or however long it may be, every day there are new questions and new things to do. And I also go to meet people."

The timing for this deep dive couldn't be more crucial. After flashing his potential with early podiums in Portugal and Texas, a series of less stellar outings at Le Mans, Assen, and Jerez has stoked concerns. Despite these setbacks, Acosta remains KTM's strongest performer this season, towering over teammate Brad Binder amidst KTM's struggles to catch up with Aprilia.

Yet, Acosta carries with him not just the weight of expectations but a resolve fortified by what he describes as an "Austrian mentality" acquired during his tenure with the team:

"Having this Austrian mentality that I have grown up with in the championship of, 'we are better than what we are doing' perhaps makes me see that we can always get better."

During his stay, Acosta intends to dissect every aspect of team operations and dynamics.

“First, I'm going to meet people and see what happens on the first day and how everything works. So that when I go to sleep on the first day I understand all the roles and who is in charge in each place, and why things are done," he elaborated. "You have to get into the problem to see the problem. I'm not looking for an excuse. I'm looking for the solution."

He continued, explaining the reasoning behind his process of learning: "It is very easy to criticise or demand things that you don't know how they are going," said Acosta. “I prefer first to inform myself and see why things are not done or who gives power to one and who takes it away from another, to be able to see what paths to take."

Despite the pressures and intense scrutiny, Acosta is adamant that his team can come together.

“I knew I wanted to be here and I still want to be here. Nobody has put me in the lion's den. Now it's my turn to open it and go out on my own,” he declared,