A first MotoGP Sprint Race victory slipped away from Pedro Acosta at Motegi as he crashed from the lead of the Race.
Pedro Acosta qualified on pole for the first time in his MotoGP career this weekend at Motegi. However, in the Japanese Grand Prix Sprint Race disaster struck for the rookie MotoGP rider.
Acosta was leading the Sprint Race and looked on track to claim his first Sprint victory, but he crashed from the lead. After the race, the rookie has accepted that the crash was a 'personal mistake'.
"It was a personal mistake," Acosta admitted. "I was a little bit wide in Turn Six, then a little bit more angle, and a little bit wider in Turn Seven. Anyway, we have a tradition of crashing from my first pole position in any class. Tomorrow is the second time I will start from the pole, normally the second time is better."
Acosta then went on to say that he was comfortable at the front of the Race and knows that he let a great opportunity slip away on Saturday at Motegi.
"I was quite safe," Acosta stated. "We were not riding super fast, it was a stupid mistake. Anyway, it was my mistake I am sorry to the whole, all of KTM and all of the people in this project, today it was my fault. We are becoming closer this season than we expected to be. It is tough too accept but we must continue this way."
Despite his mistakes and leaving Motegi on Saturday down in the dumps, Acosta is confident for Sunday. The 20-year-old knows he can challenge for victory again on Sunday with his second start from pole position.
"We hope," Acosta said when asked if he can challenge for the win on Sunday. "We need to be calm because it is going to be a difficult race. The choice of the tyre will be tough as nobody has done long runs on the mediums."