After a qualifying session that saw him start from the second row, the Mazarron shark Pedro Acosta today sniffed a chance at the podium. After an adrenaline-fueled start in which he also made contact with Marc Marquez, the Spaniard tried to chase the Ducatis, in vain. At the end of a fight first with Aldeguer and then with Morbidelli, from the height of his fifth place Acosta therefore sees the glass half full, impossible for the KTM rider not to try to study and observe with admiration the performance possibilities of the Ducatis.
"It wasn't bad but it wasn't good either," Acosta began at the end of the sprint, "it was a frustrating race because you're behind bikes that can do certain things that you're trying to do and you can't. On the first lap I made up 8 tenths to Morbidelli, tried to pass him but went wide. From there a nightmare started with the front end overheating, the steering kept closing and I couldn't brake where I wanted to. It was difficult to manage. When the lead group got away the front temperature dropped and I started to climb again lapping six tenths faster. The bike worked well, minus the braking difficulties, and we finished six seconds behind the leader. We came within a second and a half of the podium so we have to try to be positive, tomorrow is the race and some things will be different, like the tyres."
Today you had a close contact with Marc at the start.
"It wasn't one of his best starts, somehow I got very fast on him, and maybe he wanted to go left, I appeared and he didn't expect it. We touched each other but nothing happened."
Binder also had a nightmarish start.
"I was lucky because at the start I was in the middle; just look at Pecco's start, the track is really dirty from the first day we arrived. I know it's part of the game, it was also happening in Valentino's time, but maybe race management could clean at least the first 15 positions, because it can be dangerous. When you are in the back it is not a problem, you have few riders behind, Binder had at least 16, I think next year something should be done about it."
We saw you in the battle with Aldeguer.
"He can do things that my bike doesn't allow me to do. That's what it's all about. It was a good fight to be honest, although it was a little frustrating for me because I was behind to see what he could do and my mouth was watering - admits the Spaniard - I'm really happy for him and the podium he got, because he's working hard. But yes, it was a good battle, even if it didn't end well for me."
Medium seems the best compound for tomorrow.
"It is, although the traction was not bad at all today. It's something I've often complained about but that wasn't the case today. For sure with a harder compound the times will drop, but we have to focus on the front because today I had trouble overtaking. We have to be realistic though, Marquez is one step ahead, then there is Alex who is close to him, then there are us mortals."