
Pedro Acosta’s Sprint Ends in Frustration After Early Contact at Barcelona
Pedro Acosta lined up 6th on the grid for the final Sprint race of the 2024 MotoGP™ season at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, aiming to cap off his impressive rookie campaign with another strong result. However, his race was cut short after heavy contact into Turn 3 ripped away his front fairing, forcing him to retire. Augusto Fernandez battled from 21st on the grid but ultimately finished 20th.
Meanwhile, in Moto3™, Daniel Holgado secured 5th place in qualifying, keeping his hopes alive for P2 in the championship, while Jacob Roulstone delivered a solid performance to claim 9th in Q2.
Challenging Conditions at the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona
With the 2024 season concluding in Barcelona—in place of the canceled Valencia round—teams had to carefully manage tire wear and grip on the notoriously low-traction circuit. Acosta entered the weekend 5th in the championship standings, determined to lock in a top-five finish for the year, while Fernandez aimed to end his two-year stint with the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 team on a high note.
Acosta’s Strong Start Ends in Disappointment
Acosta showed promising pace in FP1, immediately making his presence felt among the frontrunners. Under sunny skies on Saturday, he delivered a strong qualifying performance, securing 6th place on the grid—just 0.3 seconds off pole position. Fernandez, still struggling to find grip, lined up 21st.
When the 12-lap Sprint got underway, Acosta launched well, slotting into the fight for the top positions. However, his charge was abruptly halted in Turn 3, where another rider’s aggressive move left him with a shattered front fairing, forcing him to return to the pits and retire. Fernandez made some early gains but continued to struggle with grip, ultimately finishing 20th.
Looking Ahead to the Final Race of 2024
Despite the setback, Acosta remains focused on Sunday’s 28-lap race, where he aims to end his debut MotoGP™ season on a high.
Pedro Acosta – 6th in Qualifying, DNF in the Sprint
“Not much to say, but it was frustrating because I was already in front! Racing is like this. Maybe it was too early in the race for those kinds of moves, but that’s how it goes. The positive is that my pace was strong, and we have to be happy about that. Tomorrow is a new opportunity, and we have to make it count.”
