Tech3 MotoGP Boss Herve Poncharal Faces Pressure to Support Pedro Acosta’s Stellar Rookie Season

Tech3 MotoGP team felt significant pressure to back Pedro Acosta in his debut season

"I was uncertain if I could perform at that standard…"

Herve Poncharal, the head of the Tech3 MotoGP team, acknowledged that he experienced significant pressure to offer exceptional assistance to Pedro Acosta during his debut season in 2024.

Right from the beginning of his grand prix career in 2021, Acosta distinguished himself as one of the most promising talents in the paddock.

Securing the Moto3 championship as a newcomer, Acosta clinched victories during his debut Moto2 season and went on to win the 2023 Moto2 title. He is set to advance to MotoGP with Tech3 and KTM.

In only his second race, Acosta made it to the podium for the first time and has since accumulated three podium finishes in grand prix events, placing him sixth in the overall rankings.

Due to his achievements, Acosta will join the factory KTM team with Brad Binder in 2025.

Anticipation was considerable for Acosta’s first year in MotoGP. However, Poncharal acknowledges that this also added significant pressure since he understood the Spaniard “wasn't going to have a typical rookie season as people anticipated”.

"I felt a great deal of pressure because I understood that this young and exceptional rider would require unique support and special attention," Poncharal mentioned on the MotoGP podcast.

"He wasn't planning to spend his first season just learning the ropes like most rookies do."

"Pedro is eager to learn, but he only wants to spend 15 minutes on it. He prefers to use the rest of his time performing."

"I wasn't sure if I would measure up, and that uncertainty made it thrilling because I was stepping into the unknown."

"I enjoy experiencing new things; repeating the same moments isn't exciting. We had a fantastic day in Valencia after the final race of 2023, and I felt really pleased with our team. I was especially happy with how we greeted him and provided our support."

"I could tell from his feedback that he not only enjoyed the bike and the class, but he was also pleased to collaborate with our team."

"Once we transitioned to the Sepang test, everything went incredibly well. The sky remained completely clear without a single cloud in sight."

Poncharal mentions that Acosta has been nearly flawless for a newcomer, particularly considering the high caliber of the MotoGP competitors in 2024.

"He rated the rookie's season between 8.5 and 9, describing it as nearly flawless."

"We were discussing the Aragon weekend where we secured two podium finishes, and he said to me, 'I want to achieve even more.'"

"I'm uncertain if he would rate himself an 8.5, but I would give him an 8.5 or a 9 out of 10."

"As a rookie, it’s hard to do better than he has."

"Right now, the level of competition in the MotoGP class is incredibly high and very tight. Achieving what he is managing to do in such a competitive environment is remarkable."

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