After the disappointments of recent weeks, Tom Lüthi is hopeful that Pedro Acosta can bounce back at the Grand Prix of Catalonia in MotoGP. “History has shown that Acosta was actually strong there with KTM,” said the Interwetten expert ahead of the sixth championship round in Barcelona.
The Spaniard must “manage the weekend well from start to finish,” to “close the gap to the front” and “contend for the podium.” Acosta had missed the podium at both Jerez and Le Mans. In France, the factory rider had been “something of a lone warrior with blunt weapons,” according to former MotoGP rider Lüthi, adding, “he probably just pushed the tyre a little too hard.” Last year, Acosta finished fourth in both the sprint and the Grand Prix of Barcelona. Lüthi said it will “be his goal” to return to the podium, as he did in Thailand and Austin, USA.
The Catalonia circuit has “pretty much everything a racing driver could wish for,” Lüthi explained: “a very long straight with extremely high top speed, fast corners, slow corners, elevation changes—it’s all there.” However, there is “very little grip,” which means tyre wear is “quite significant.” Riders and teams must “find a good bike set-up and then manage it all over the full Grand Prix distance on Sunday.”
Acosta (21) will face one fewer rival at the race weekend—reigning world champion Marc Márquez is sidelined following his heavy crash at Le Mans and subsequent double surgery on his foot and shoulder.
