MotoGP rookie Acosta likens Marquez battle to ‘losing your virginity’

The Red Bull GasGas Tech3 rider overtook Marquez for fourth on Lap 12 of the Qatar Grand Prix Race at Turn 1.

A mistake a lap-and-a-half later saw Acosta hand the position back and he eventually faded to ninth by the time the chequered flag flew after 21 laps around the Lusail circuit.

“It lasted as long as it had to last,” the 19-year-old told reporters from his native Spain of the battle with his compatriot on the #93 Gresini Ducati.

“This is like when you lose your virginity: everything starts to be very nice and then it’s a disaster.”

Acosta’s slide down the order came due to lack of tyre conservation, as evidenced by the fact he set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 2, but he was nevertheless pleased with his efforts.

In a separate interview, the 2023 Moto2 champion said, “I am super happy, I mean I have nothing bad to say, I was living a dream for 15 laps.

“We need to be happy, it’s true at the end of the race we struggled with tyre management, but for 15 laps I was doing everything that I knew how to do.

“I am happy to do 15 laps with the fastest riders in the world and not just 21 laps in the top nine, I think we learned a lot today.”

Acosta also confirmed that he was a better rider for his battle with Marquez.

“I learned a lot, as you watch what the big names are doing and how they are managing, how they are riding with turbulence, and how they are picking up the bike to save tyres, but tomorrow I will be more calm and understand everything,” he said.

Next up is the Portuguese Grand Prix at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, AKA ‘Portimao’, which will represent a new challenge considering Acosta and the rest of the field tested at Lusail weeks ago.

“Portimao will be the first track we will go without testing but anyway, it will be good,” he remarked.

“The team is working super nice, and also so are the Pierer Mobility boys, from the moment I arrived to help me understand the bike and the class.

“Also, Brad [Binder, KTM stablemate] helped me, and if they give to me I will give to them. They are helping me a lot to understand how to go fast.”

Acosta, who finished eighth in the Sprint, is ninth in the championship on the way to the Portuguese GP on March 22-24.