Acosta labels MotoGP 2025 as a “wasted year” amid search for maiden win
by Rachit Thukral · AutosportDespite showing more maturity and consistency, Acosta remains deeply unsatisfied with his 2025 campaign
Pedro Acosta has described the 2025 MotoGP season as a “wasted year” for him, arguing that the step he made as a rider was not matched by the results he expected.
Acosta came of age in his sophomore campaign, cutting down on crashes and evolving into a far more complete rider as he spearheaded KTM’s factory team.
The 20-year-old also showed remarkable consistency in the second half of the season, with five grand prix podiums – and seven more in sprints – allowing him to overhaul Ducati rival Francesco Bagnaia and secure fourth in the riders’ standings.
It marked the best championship finish ever for a KTM rider, underscoring his growing value to the Austrian brand.
Yet, despite his late-season momentum, the Spaniard never managed the breakthrough victory he had targeted, even as rivals Fermin Aldeguer and Raul Fernandez celebrated their maiden wins during the flyaway run.
Acosta acknowledged the progress he made since his crash-laden rookie season, but insisted 2025 still feels like a write-off as he remains far from his goal of fighting for a championship.
“Here in MotoGP, there's no magic: you have to know where you stand,” the Spaniard said after the Valencia finale.
“The season has been a bit of a shame; we haven't fought for anything. It's been like a wasted year in my life. That's how it is.
“I told KTM on the first day that I wanted to come here, I wasn't coming for this [to be fourth in the championship].
“I've taken a big step forward from the middle of the year to now. I've gained consistency, I know how to read the races better, I know how to hold on to the bike, I used to crash a lot, but it's not enough to be in contention for podiums from time to time.”
KTM started the 2025 season on the back foot, as the financial issues plaguing the automaker began affecting its performance on track. However, a new aero update at the Austrian Grand Prix transformed its fortunes, with Acosta scoring 183 out of his 308 points in the final 10 weekends of the season.
While Aprilia and KTM showed clear signs of progress during the season, Ducati is expected to remain the benchmark in the final year of the rule cycle before the shift to 850cc engines in 2027.
When asked if the 2026 season could be a long one for him, Acosta said: “No, in the end, every situation is making me better.
“I'm seeing the races differently. Before, I would have thrown the bike away [in frustration], and for the last six grands prix, I've been getting good results. I'm becoming a better rider for when my time comes – which has to come.
“I'm definitely a better rider than the one who won in Moto3 and Moto2. At the beginning of the year, in the third race of the year, I was already saying, ‘My God, this year is going to be so long’. And from the summer until now, the truth is that it has flown by.
“I have to keep up this motivation, to be better. The moment will come sooner or later.”
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- The Autosport.com Team