Pedro Acosta: How fast until your first victory? / MotoGP

Some of the best talents shorten their way to the top: They arrive in first class and act as if they have always been there. Other successful riders, some of them multiple world champions and absolute stars, needed time to establish themselves at the top. In the entire history of MotoGP there are only 10 riders who took less than 10 races to reach their first victory. So Pedro Acosta has until the Assen GP to join this glorious circle (and of course there is no guarantee that this will happen).

What he is unable to set again are the records of Jarno Saarinen (victory in his first two 500cc GPs) and Max Biaggi (victory in the first half-litre show). Marc Márquez also escaped from this figure.
Here are the 10 drivers with the shortest run to their first win:

Race 2: Marc Márquez, Austin 2013

At the next GP 2024 track next week, Marc Márquez, with whom Pedro Acosta is often compared, celebrated his first victory in only the second race. This is a record in the MotoGP era. Teammate Dani Pedrosa took second place, followed by Jorge Lorenzo (we’ll see these two guys again soon). To leave no room for doubt about his future plans, Marc took not only the win but also the pole position and fastest race in his second MotoGP weekend.

Race 3: Jorge Lorenzo, Estoril 2008

It was the year that Valentino Rossi and his young teammate Jorge Lorenzo rode on different tires in the Yamaha factory team: Rossi on Bridgestone, Lorenzo on Michelin. As in the previous race, Lorenzo had qualified the M1 on pole position, and in that race there was a good three-way battle between the two and Dani Pedrosa. But towards the middle of the race, Lorenzo looked to take his first victory in the third race – in the style of a great veteran.

Race 3: Brad Binder, Brno 2020

It was Corona, times were strange. The GP in the Czech Republic was only the third MotoGP round of the year – and that was in August. Two Yamaha riders (!) Quartararo and Viñales led the World Championship, followed by Andrea Dovizioso. What has changed since then! At the start of the season, Brad Binder was promoted to the KTM factory team as Moto2 runner-up. Everything was right for the South African this summer weekend: a confident victory from 7th place with a lead of more than 5 seconds, as well as the fastest lap of the race. Brad had to wait a year and six days for his second victory. That’s right, that was the legendary wet race at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, where he walked on water on slicks.

4 Rennen: Dani Pedrosa, Shanghai 2006

KTM’s wildcard rider took his first MotoGP victory 18 years ago in China as Nicky Hayden’s teammate at Repsol Honda. He had already finished his first race in MotoGP (Jerez) in second place, and he didn’t have to wait any longer for his first victory. On May 14 he won in Shanghai after a poor start and an impressive race to overtake Hayden and Colin Edwards. Like his teammate Márquez 7 years later, he also achieved great success in his first victory.

Race 5: Freddie Spencer, Belgium 1982

Those were different times: American Freddie Spencer made his debut in the first class in 1980 (mainly on Yamaha!), but could not qualify. In his only appearance in 1981 on the Honda NR500 with its circular pistons, he did not see the finish. As a works driver in 1982 on the NS500, things went much better: after third place in Argentina, second place in Misano and retirement in Assen, he won his first doctorate in Business. At the age of 20, he was the youngest driver to achieve this. He was also the record holder of his first World Cup title the following year.

6 Rennen: Jorge Martín, Red Bull Ring 2021

Back to the present: Jorge Martín rejected MotoGP-KTM, which was ready for him after two years with Aki Ajo in Moto2, and hired Pramac Ducati instead. There is no doubt that this young man was under a lot of pressure and wanted to prove to the world that his decision was correct. Perhaps he wanted too much: after his brutal crash in Portimão, he also missed the next three races. But it didn’t take long for the world to realize what was coming. In his 6th race in the Styrian GP at the Red Bull Ring he celebrated his first victory, fittingly from pole position.

Race 9: Randy Mamola, Belgium 1980

The American rode his first (half) season of the World Championship in 1979 as an assistant to the injured Mike Baldwin on a personal Zago-Suzuki and was on the podium in Finland and Le Mans. In 1980 he got a chance to join the Suzuki factory team – and he used it: especially on the Zolder track, which was new for all drivers and very slippery, he balanced his two-stroke bike flawlessly until the end, while his experienced colleagues fell down one after another. He finished his 9th GP class 12 seconds ahead of Marco Lucchinelli and a full half minute ahead of his idol Kenny Roberts.

Race 9: Valentino Rossi, Donington 2000

The fans were able to prepare for a special celebration in advance, as they already knew from the younger classes how Vale celebrated his victory. After a bad start, things didn’t look good for long for the number 46 on his Honda in the wet 2000 British GP. After the start he dropped back to 13th. But then Vale started to rain and he met rider after rider . Grand Finale: A three-way battle with Kenny Roberts Junior (Suzuki) and Jeremy McWilliams (Aprilia) with worn tires on the drying track. A victory party? Worth it Rossi!

In the original published version of this article, three drivers were not found. We apologize for any inconvenience!