Pedro Acosta: “After Qatar I deleted my social networks, one of the best decisions I have made lately”

“But who is that kid?” This phrase has been heard every weekend that there has been a motorcycle Grand Prix in 2021. They refer to Pedro Acosta Sanchez (Mazarrón, Murcia, May 25, 2004), who at almost 17 years of age is breaking all records held and to be.

Pedro Acosta is on the path of legend: the first driver in history to achieve 4 podiums in his first 4 races

He has only been four races in the World Championship and his sights are not only on winning the title of Moto3, something that if luck and success accompany you, you will get, but to go up immediately to Moto2 and from there, the jump to MotoGP.

His records are only part of his peculiar history: his idol is the legendary Kevin Schwantz. Like that one, his way of braking is a complete revolution and it seems unbecoming of a boy with braces whose success has not gotten him off the ground. And to prevent your head from filling with birds, a radical decision: goodbye to all social networks. We are not facing the heir of Marc Márquez, because he has many differences, but without a doubt he is the one who will give more to talk about soon.

Before the French GP, at the legendary Le Mans that he has not yet seen, and after a day of training, he attends us from his motorhome.

Introduce yourself to someone who hasn’t heard of you yet

I am Pedro Acosta, I live in Murcia and now I am in the Moto3 World Championship and everything is going very well for me.

95 points out of 100 possible: says it all. How did you do it?

Since I joined the team in November they have adapted very well to me and I to them. All this and the training I did with Paco (Mármol), my coach, has helped speed up the process.

Are you aware of what you are messing with? It already opens pages of national newspapers, news …

I’m still landing In Qatar I read a lot of social networks and I think it hurt me and I decided to delete instagram, twitter, facebook … I deleted everything. It has been one of the best decisions I have made lately. It has helped me to be more focused on what I need to be. I prefer not to read anything and be in what I must, which is to drive.

So this interview will be sent to you in November, when I celebrate something big.

Ah, okay (laughs).

The vice of motorcycles will come from his parents, right?

I started about 11 years ago, because one day my father went to film in Cartagena, I went with him and it was the first day that Paco opened the school. As I saw so many children try, I went a week later. It was one of the best things I have ever done. It is the only thing I do and what I live for.

Have you returned to Mazarrón since you are now ‘Don Pedro Acosta’?

I have returned, yes. Mazarrón is one of the best places. It’s a small town, everyone knows you and they know when they don’t have to bother. Yes the cousin or brother has come, but it is normal. We must thank the people. I understand that many people want to see me, but they have made the effort not to go to my house, not talk to my parents and let me be focused on what I should be.

“In Mazarrón they know when not to bother. They have made the effort not to go to my house, not talk to my parents and let me be centered”

Explain that your idol is Kevin Schwantz, because you haven’t seen him compete …

It was spectacle. It is as if you put a pen with lights on a child, it will always attract more attention.

One of its strengths in driving is braking, it is very peculiar. Faces the lines completely straight, very fine. What’s the trick?

I train with a 600cc motorcycle, which will help me make the leap to Moto2. I’m a rider who likes the big bike and it’s the style it gives you. It is the one that Paco has instilled in me in our school and the monitors, such as Adrian Cases. They are ex-drivers who have helped me and the rest a lot.

He names his coach Paco a lot, with incredible admiration. Describe it to me.

He is the man who trusted a child and the madness of that child. Without him and my parents I wouldn’t be here. He has given me everything he has had and has taught me everything he has known so that we can do this together.

Journalists are already looking for an heir to Márquez, Rossi, Lorenzo … Have you received a message or compliment at this time that has really caught your attention?

None have touched me too much. If you know how you are working, everything comes. I prepared myself for a World Cup, for the level that there is in a World Cup. What I thought is that people would have prepared better. The same is that when they arrive they relax a bit, but we will continue working as we are doing.

Are you ready for when things don’t turn out perfectly?

It was clear to me at the beginning of the year that things were not going to be easy, but the adaptation is being quite fast. Am I prepared for when something bad comes along? Yes of course. If we get a career that’s fine, and if not, we’ll learn. It’s my ‘rookie’ year and we don’t have any pressure.

Marc Márquez blesses Pedro Acosta, the great Moto3 diamond who is already compared to him

How did you feel on your first podium in Qatar?

It was nice, it’s the first podium in a World Cup, but I had the feeling inside that I could have won. That day I was a little pissed off, I could have given a little more. But hey, starting the World Cup with a second position was pretty good.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years, at 26?

I prefer not to think about that and to think better about what is going to happen at Le Mans.

A historical and new circuit for you. How do you deal with it?

I have never been to Le Mans before, but new circuits tend to be good for me, so I hope this is one of them. The important thing will be to go to Q2 and already in the race we will show what we have worked on.

How is the day to day with Jaume Masiá, your partner?

For now we have one of the best relationships between teammates. My mechanics are his, his mechanics are mine, we share data, he tells me his problems and I mine … We have a good relationship. If one day the relationship ceases to be like that, it is because we will both be fighting for a championship.

After the start of the season, his objective cannot be other than to win the World Cup …

We are in May and we are going to Le Mans, and the season ends in November in Valencia. The goal is still to have fun, keep working with the team and prepare for next year.

If that moment comes in November and you win the title, do you dare to make a promise? A tattoo, dyeing your hair …

Not the hair, I’m tattoos. And I have one in mind, in honor of Qatar, the race I won from the pitlane, my first victory. If I win the World Cup first time, there will be a tattoo for sure.