This year’s MotoGP rookie, Pedro Acosta, has made a significant impression in the preseason tests, particularly outperforming his teammate, Augusto Fernandez. This has sparked my interest to delve deeper into the only season they were teammates: in 2022, when both were part of the KTM Ajo team in Moto2.
Given their current performance disparity, a detailed analysis of their shared season could provide valuable insights. Therefore, I have conducted this analysis to better understand the dynamics of their partnership and individual growth during that period. This could potentially shed light on the factors contributing to Acosta’s current standout performance.
It is crutial to have in mind that 2022 was Acosta’s only second(!!) season in the World Championship and his first in Moto2, while Augusto already had 5 seasons of experience in the Moto2 category, making it six after the 2022 campaign in which he claimed the Moto2 World Champion trophy. Also something to notice is the injury that Acosta suffered before the Dutch Grand Prix which saw him out for both the race at the TT Assen and in Silverstone. As we will see later in the comparison, this injury came in the worst time for Pedro.
Info: For the Race and Quali comparisons I only counted who finished ahead of the other when both riders finished
As can be seen from the comparison chart above, Acosta’s season was inferior in all metrics to that of Augusto. However, for a rookie, scoring 177 points, achieving 3 victories, 5 podiums, and 1 pole position are exceptionally good results. These accomplishments highlight Acosta’s potential and promise in the sport, despite the comparative analysis with his teammate. Augusto’s season was also noteworthy for its consistency. In all the races he finished (all but three), he only fell out of the top 5 twice. This level of regularity in performance is a testament to Augusto’s skill and stability as a racer, something he ahs also shown in MotoGP in 2023.
Difference in qualifying
As can be seen from the chart, Acosta struggled in the initial races, being more than 0.6% behind his teammate in four of the first five races. However, a clear improvement was observed from Jerez onwards, with Acosta even securing pole position in Le Mans. Unfortunately, this progression was interrupted by his injury before the Dutch weekend. From that point onwards, the differences between the two remained narrow in all qualifications, except for the Japanese Grand Prix (rainy conditions).
It’s worth noting that while it was an excellent season for KTM Ajo, their riders didn’t shine as much in qualifications as they did in the races. This suggests that their strength lies more in their race strategy and execution rather than in their qualifying speed, where they only managed to get 3 poles (KTM Ajo managed 10 poles in 2021 in moto2, with a 7 pole position streak).
Despite Pedro’s challenges, finishing his rookie year within 0.3% of Augusto is not a poor performance on saturdays. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that the majority of this difference was established in the early races when Acosta was still adapting to the category and naturally faced more difficulties.
Difference in race pace
In terms of race pace, the narrative takes a different turn. Despite Pedro’s impressive tally of three victories, it might appear that his performance was more pronounced on race days than on Saturdays. However, his rookie year in Moto2 was characterized not only by the challenges posed by the injury but also by a series of falls, particularly in the early part of the season (US, Portugal though it was not truly his fault, Jerez and Le Mans). Additionally, adverse weather conditions (Japan, Thailand), added another layer of complexity to Acosta’s year.
However, when weather conditions were favorable, and Pedro managed to put everything together, Acosta showcased his exceptional speed and racing prowess.The sheer speed and finesse he displayed on the track during his debut season affirmed the theory of his remarkable talent. This conviction was further validated in 2023 when Acosta clinched the Moto2 World Championship.
Info: Only counting races where both riders managed to finish at least 5 laps.
While it’s undeniable that Acosta’s average difference with Augusto exceeded 0.5%, time has revealed that Acosta was more than capable of winning at a Moto2 championship level. Despite the decent gap in their averages, an examination of Acosta’s trajectory over the years demonstrates his readiness to excel in Moto2 at the time and now at MotoGP. In the pre-season of 2022, and similarly in 2024 in MotoGP, Acosta exhibited remarkable strength. Two years ago, he was on par with his teammate, and this 2024 season, even with just seven days on a MotoGP bike (and opne less season than Fernandez), he seems to be outperforming Augusto.
Should Acosta sustain the positive momentum witnessed in the current pre-season into the early races of this year, it will do nothing more but to confirm his already meteoric progression. This trajectory isn’t just a story of his entry into the championship in 2021, but a narrative that unfolds from 2022, showcasing a substantial elevation in his riding skills and, notably, maturity since his rookie year in Moto2.