Acosta raises alarm over MotoGP schedule: ‘Level of stress will reach a limit’
Many riders criticised the proposal, with Acosta the most vocal (Credit: Red Bull Content Pool)
Andrew McLarneyMotoGP Reporter
Andrew McLarney is an accredited MotoGP reporter with four years experience as a professional writer across the sports and video game industries. His experience as a K1 Premier League competitor evolved into a fascination with all forms of combat sport and eventually motorsport — with MotoGP becoming his primary focus. On top of that he is also an avid follower of MXGP and AMA Supercross/Motocross.
KTM's Pedro Acosta, who briefly led the MotoGP World Championship standings after the opening round in Thailand, has given his thoughts on the demands of the modern MotoGP calendar, citing stress as a key issue for many riders.
The MotoGP calendar is now the longest it has even been with a total of 22 weekends throughout the year, with each one being made up of three days of competitive riding.
This is the issue highlighted by Pedro Acosta, one of MotoGP's most promising talents - the rider set to join Marc Marquez at Ducati's factory team next year in place of two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia.
The level of stress that we will support will reach a limit.- Pedro Acosta
With new circuits around the world constantly vying for inclusion in the presigious championship, the current schedule is pushing riders to the limit not just physically, but mentally as well.
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"What I feel is bad about the calendar is now the careers of the riders will be shorter," said Acosta after the USA Grand Prix, "Because there's no way to stay 22 weekends with an important session every day - like PR, Qualifying and the Sprint, and then the main race."
"There’s no time in the weekend to say ‘OK, I will go out on track, I will take my pace, step by step, I will just ride’, let's say. Every day you have an important session, 22 per year."
"This will make everything shorter. Because the level of stress that we will support will reach a limit."
However, Acosta was not necessarily against the sprint format as it currently stands, but suggested a different change in order to give riders what he views as a greater chance of longevity in the sport:
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"I think Sprint races are a good idea, I think shorter qualifying and [Friday practice] is a good idea, but if we want to maintain during a long career, you cannot risk every day. Because when the risk is higher, the percentage of how hurt you can get is higher also."
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