Pedro Acosta admits he feels “a bit lost” after Friday practice at Sepang, despite a strong start for KTM to the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend. His teammate Maverick Viñales secured a direct place in Q2 for the first time this season, but the young Spaniard’s own performance fell short of expectations on a circuit he usually favors.
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Factory KTM rider Pedro Acosta clocked a 1:57.380 lap, placing him fourth fastest and 380 thousandths shy of Marc Márquez’s benchmark. Márquez’s blistering pace confirmed him as the man to beat heading into qualifying.
The spotlight quickly shifted to the other KTM riders. Enea Bastianini claimed seventh place, 545 thousandths off the top, while Maverick Viñales took eighth, a mere two thousandths behind Bastianini. That earned him a direct pass to Q2, a significant achievement given Viñales’ challenging season.
Acosta struggles with front tyre grip
Despite KTM’s promising Friday, Acosta openly acknowledged his struggles, contrasting his own difficulties with Viñales’ breakthrough. “I’m happy for Maverick because he was suffering, and his data is always very interesting. I’m a bit lost; the feelings aren’t the best,” Acosta confessed to the media.
The two-time world champion further elaborated on his technical issues, particularly with the front tyre grip. “I find it hard to understand why I’m struggling so much with the front tyre, but having good data from Maverick and Enea should help us improve faster than in other places,” he added.
Márquez the favourite, Martín under pressure
Acosta also assessed the broader competitive landscape, highlighting Marc Márquez as the clear favorite for the weekend. He also commented on Jorge Martín’s complicated situation, noting Martín’s decision not to complete Friday’s practice despite being medically cleared.
“Marc is the man to beat this weekend, and the problem is Martín needs to close the gap he has to the leader, not to fifth place,” Acosta concluded, underlining the uphill battle facing his fellow Spaniard.
KTM’s mixed fortunes at Sepang reveal a factory team brimming with potential but grappling with individual rider challenges. Acosta’s candid admission of discomfort contrasts sharply with Viñales’ resurgence, setting up an intriguing narrative for the Malaysian GP’s next stages.
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