Amid the Austrian Grand Prix, calculations favoring KTM appear more robust than ever. Specifically, due to the outstanding performance of Pedro Acosta in practice, which raises the brand’s hopes of ending a long phase without victories in MotoGP.
With the RC16 model, KTM has demonstrated consistent performance at the Red Bull Ring. Acosta has positioned himself as a favorite, setting the best time in both Friday practice sessions, with a 0.127-second lead over Fermín Aldeguer from Gresini, while the best Aprilia rider, Ai Ogura, finished third.
Moreover, Brad Binder has managed to qualify directly for Q2 with the seventh-best time, overcoming his own issues during the fast laps. Acosta, aware of his speed, chose to resume his last lap after dominating the early sectors.
Technical improvements and tire adaptation
After resolving the reliability issues that affected the team in the first half of the season, KTM seems ready to take advantage of the long straights in Spielberg. The design that alternates braking and acceleration is ideal for maximizing the qualities of the RC16, which is known for its braking power.
In addition, the debut of a reinforced rear tire from Michelin specifically designed for circuits with high loads like Buriram and the Red Bull Ring is also a key factor. KTM riders have expressed their satisfaction with this new design, which provides more confidence regarding the front-end behavior of the motorcycle.
Track conditions and internal competition
KTM test rider Pol Espargaro, who is substituting for Maverick Viñales due to injuries, has noted that the grip on the track is lower than in previous editions. This circumstance could play in favor of KTM, which has already proven to perform better in less grip conditions.
Both Acosta and Binder need to continue learning from each other. While Acosta excels in the last sector, Binder has shown great speed in the third sector, thereby influencing their strategies for qualifying.
Expectations for Sunday
Despite the optimism in the team, Acosta prefers to keep expectations low. Although KTM has a positive history at the Red Bull Ring, the brand has not won in over four years. A victory at this circuit for Acosta would be the ideal closure to his time with the team, although he himself calls for patience and caution in light of the competition from other brands such as Ducati and Aprilia.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
