Pedro Acosta delivered an impressive turnaround in the latter half of the 2025 MotoGP season by securing twelve podium finishes, yet his first premier-class win remains elusive. Despite a series of strong performances with factory KTM, the former Moto3 and Moto2 world champion has yet to cross the finish line first, often narrowly missing out on victory.
His KTM crew chief, Paul Trevathan, highlighted some of the races that demonstrated Acosta’s growth and fighting spirit throughout the turbulent season.
Key Races Highlight Acosta’s Strategic Growth and Tenacity
One standout moment came during the Sepang race, where Acosta’s management of tire wear was notably mature. Trevathan explained,
“I was super proud of him in the Sepang race, because of the management situation with the tyres,”
and added,
“We’d heard everyone say, ‘Pedro’s too hard [on the tyres]’. But how he controlled that race was very good.”
This performance showcased Acosta’s disciplined approach in a crucial race environment.
Trevathan also praised Acosta’s effort in the Sprint race at Portimao, calling it perhaps his “best pure performance.” After an intense contest, Acosta finished just 0.120 seconds behind the winner, sandwiched narrowly between Alex Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi, displaying his capacity to stay competitive from start to finish. The Sprint race fueled expectations that Acosta was on the cusp of securing his first MotoGP victory.
The Struggle to Sustain Momentum Against Strong Competition
Despite promising signs, Acosta faced stiff challenges from rivals such as Bezzecchi and the Aprilia team. During the main race at Portimao, Acosta finished third, again trailing Marquez. Trevathan expressed the frustration that comes with that position:
“We were disappointed with the podium on the Sunday, because he wants to fight,”
he said, emphasizing,
“That’s the key with Pedro. There’s no guarantee in life that he’ll win a MotoGP World Championship. But for him, it’s the feeling of fighting for something. And if he can’t do it, ‘OK, I can live with it’. But not being able to fight, that is the part that really, really frustrates him.”
Reflecting on other strong outings, Trevathan also noted Acosta’s second-place finish at the Balaton race as “another super performance,” underscoring the rider’s steady progression.
Acosta’s Evolving Preparation and Increasing Maturity Riding for KTM
Many observers had not expected Acosta to remain winless after two seasons in MotoGP, but KTM’s motto ‘Ready to Race’ seems to be evolving toward ‘Ready to Win’ with this young talent. Trevathan acknowledged this development, saying, “To be honest, yes,” when asked if Acosta was ready to secure a win. He praised Acosta’s comprehensive approach to race weekends, highlighting Friday’s free practice session as fundamental in shaping the rest of the event:
“Friday is such an important day for the rest of the weekend. This is super important.”
He added that Acosta is now more balanced in his approach and better at understanding all aspects of preparation, marking him as “really well rounded” compared to earlier in his career. While there remains some frustration at missing out on victory, Trevathan sees this as part of Acosta’s learning curve:
“It’s frustrating that we didn’t get that win for him, don’t get me wrong. But I think he’s also understanding a lot more about the sport.”
Improvements in Qualifying Reflect Growing Experience and Control
In the early rounds of the 2025 season, Acosta struggled with qualifying consistency, often starting races outside the top ten due to difficulty combining his best sectors into a single lap. However, over the latter half of the season, his grid positions improved significantly, with the rider qualifying in the front two rows for six consecutive events.
Trevathan described this progress in detail:
“It’s true. I think if you look back at many of our qualifying performances, he had quite a big delta between his best lap time and ideal lap time,”
he said, noting the team’s effort to refine this aspect.
“Before, it was the will and pure natural talent that got the results we had last year. But now it’s all about calculated risk: How do I get the maximum out of it on this track? What’s my strong point? What’s my weak point? ‘Okay, I can’t do better there, but I can do better there’.”
This tactical understanding helps Acosta feel more in control, transitioning from a “wide open” style to a planned approach in assembling a competitive lap. Trevathan explained the complexity behind qualifying laps:
“People don’t understand what a ‘time attack’ lap really is… Some riders say it’s ‘all or nothing’. You see the tension, you feel it.”
He added that with the current weekend format demanding frequent qualifying efforts on race tires, riders must master this intense mental and physical challenge quickly, a particularly steep learning curve for rookies like Acosta.
Further emphasizing the technical demands, Trevathan said,
“It’s a massive part of our sport now because I think we’ve taken these bikes to the very peak of performance. Every little thing is important to get the end result.”
Looking Ahead: Momentum Building for the 2026 Season
Pedro Acosta’s surge in the second half of 2025 elevated him to fourth place in the MotoGP world championship standings, setting the stage for a promising 2026 campaign. KTM plans to reveal the new RC16 livery for the upcoming season on January 27, followed by the official Sepang test in early February, where Acosta alongside his teammates will begin preparations to turn their potential into victories.
