Pedro Acosta’s chart-topping time in Practice for the Austrian Grand Prix has raised hopes of KTM ending a four-year winless streak in MotoGP.
The RC16 has always gone well around the Red Bull Ring, and star Acosta is in the midst of a purple patch in MotoGP, meaning expectations were already high from the Mattighofen-based marque heading into the weekend. But amid Ducati and Aprilia’s technical advantage, KTM was always going to face an uphill battle to upset the established hierarchy in MotoGP.
However, the opening day of running at Spielberg has provided a substantial boost to the squad, with Acosta topping both practice sessions on Friday. The Spaniard ended the day 0.127s clear of Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer, with the top Aprilia of Ai Ogura another half a tenth behind in third.
Even Brad Binder, whose one-lap struggles are well documented, was able to earn a direct entry into Q2 with the seventh-fastest lap time.
Acosta also had more pace in hand, having deliberately backed out of his final push lap after setting the fastest times in the opening three sectors.
With the reliability issues that plagued the team in the first half of the season finally fixed last month, KTM now has a bike that can take advantage of Spielberg’s long straights. The start/stop layout also plays into the RC16’s strength, with the bike renowned for its braking prowess.
Special tyre for Austria
But another element is aiding KTM’s charge this year: Michelin’s reinforced rear carcass that is only used at tracks like Buriram and the Red Bull Ring due to high loads. Acosta scored his maiden sprint win the last time this tyre construction was used in the Thailand season opener, and he appears fast yet again now that it has been brought back for this weekend.
Binder, who recorded his best finish of the season in the same Buriram race, explained how KTM riders benefit from Michelin’s Austria-spec tyre.
“I think our bike works better [here]. With this different rear tyre, it doesn’t push the front as much, and I don’t have the big issues on the front I normally have.
“So, it gives me a bit more confidence just to go out and ride my bike.”
Low-grip suiting KTM
KTM’s test rider Pol Espargaro, who is again substituting for the injured Maverick Vinales at Tech3, believes there is less grip at the Red Bull Ring compared to last year, making the track even more suitable for the current configuration of the bike.
“This year, we are having better weekends when the grip on the track is not so good, like Barcelona, for example,” he explained.
“In the past, we were performing in places where the grip was very high and now it’s completely the opposite.
“So, Pedro is especially good on stopping, on braking, and with low grip it makes the situation even harder for everyone else.”
Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images
There is scope for the factory KTM duo of Acosta and Binder to learn from each other, with both riders strong in different parts of the lap. Acosta was easily the fastest rider on track in the final sector, while Binder gained a large chunk of time in sector 3.
“We’re still struggling with this long Turn 5 right-hander and then the long Turn 6 and 7, which are on the left side,” explained Acosta.
“Let’s try to improve, because Brad was quite impressive there. “He was faster than me in sector 3. This is exactly the point that I’m struggling with, but this will be interesting.
“I’m happy that other KTMs are in Q2, because I can take a lot of info now, because Brad was like 0.2s behind me.”
Acosta plays down win chances – for now
The Red Bull Ring has been a happy hunting ground for KTM, with Binder scoring a memorable home victory for the factory team in 2021. However, the Austrian manufacturer has now gone over four years without a win, with Miguel Oliveira’s Indonesia 2021 triumph marking its last success in the premier class.
With Acosta departing KTM at the end of the year, a victory on the marque’s home turf would be seen as a fitting send-off for their partnership. Even senior management from KTM’s new parent company Bajaj Auto is in attendance, increasing the significance of the weekend.
However, Acosta cautioned against raising hopes after practice when asked if he could win on Sunday, saying: “It’s still Friday.
“I don’t know,” he added. “Let’s see how Ducati and Aprilia improve tomorrow. Aldeguer is fast, Ogura was fast, and [Marco] Bezzecchi was really fast last year. Aldeguer was showing a really good pace during the race.
“For this, no pressure. Let’s see what’s going on.”
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– The Autosport.com Team
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