Pedro Acosta enjoyed a double podium finish over the weekend at Aragon. Two important results that probably arrived after the worst GP of the season for the KTM GasGas rider. The RC16's performance had sunk in Austria, and Acosta started worrying about what was happening. This double podium, however, has restored his smile, and Pedro was beaming during the post-GP press conference.
"I'd say, getting this podium right after the Red Bull Ring, which was maybe the worst moment of the season, is really important. We were competitive and could really fight for something. I lacked a little bit of speed at the beginning of the race. Maybe I could've created a bigger lead in the early laps, like I did yesterday, but managing the rear today was really complicated. At the beginning of the race, I just thought about surviving, not making mistakes, and trying to keep up with Pecco, Alex, and whoever was in front of me. If I think about where we were two weeks ago, I'd say I feel happy."
Sometimes a result like this can change so many things.
"We needed this podium, because I was starting to ask myself too many questions lately. I know it's a podium that's the result of a special situation, but these are results that give you confidence, and you need that too."
Were you hoping to find the right direction here at Motorland?
"In the end, our project is relatively young. <we often try many things on the bike, and it sometimes creates a combination of factors, so it's best to go back to the initial set-up you feel comfortable with, hoping to fight up in front. Maybe it won't be the set-up that makes the bike faster, but it's the one that I can find the consistency with to fight up in front. We thought about working in this direction, because I wanted to regain competitiveness, and we succeeded. I think this weekend really represents a step forward for us."
You also held your own against Binder all weekend.
"I don't feel like I'm in a fight with Binder. He's won races in the past so, for now, I don't think I can say I'm really in a fight with him. I need time. We need to improve the bike and try to get closer to the best rivals, then we'll think about fighting each other."
You needed this kind of result after Austria.
"Certainly, compared to the nightmare we experienced in Austria, this seemed like a whole different ball game. But we also have to remember that the grip here was really peculiar. The conditions were strange. I think we'll understand the reality better when we get to Misano, and especially in Misano 2, because it's going to be the first time I go back to a track I've already ridden on with the MotoGP. I think we'll have to wait for that race to really understand where we are today."
Do you think things are going to be very different in Misano?
"I'm happy to go to Misano, because it's a track I really like, and I'm happy to get there after a weekend like this. It gives you confidence. Then I think it's an easier track to understand the level you're at compared to your rivals."
You saw the contact between Marquez and Bagnaia. What did you think?
"I have no opinion! The reality is that, in that scenario, whatever you do as a rider, you do wrong. I think one went long and the other went across. I think one didn't see what the other was doing, so I see it as a combination of factors that generated that situation. On a different track, maybe everything would've gone very differently. I think the layout of the track also contributed to the situation at that point."
Speaking of the others, do you think after this win Marquez will be back in the fight for title?
"I think we have to wait to see Marc on other tracks before talking about this topic. He certainly went very fast here and, if he were to continue like this elsewhere, he'd be a contender. But the situation here was really particular. It was difficult for him to show this superiority elsewhere."
Instead, what does KTM lack to fight with the Ducatis nowadays?
"In my opinion, we don't lack one specific thing. I think it's various aspects we need to work on to bring Ducati closer. We're four riders on the track. They're eight. Sometimes, they're faster than us in finding solutions. Maybe we lack traction coming out of corners. Maybe that's the aspect on which we can make more obvious progress. Then, in the straights, the KTM engine works but, if you lose traction coming out of corners, you don't use it well, so things are related."
How is Pedrosa's work progressing?
"They're working on so many different things with Pedrosa, and I know they'll bring some of them to Misano, both for the GP and for testing. I'm curious to see what new things we'll have there."