Expectations were high for Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) coming into 2024 - not this high though. Two podiums in the first three races have seen the two-time World Champion become the youngest ever back-to-back MotoGP™ podium finisher as a trip to home turf now awaits.

Acosta will land at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España and be greeted with a hero’s welcome. The Spanish faithful aren’t short of stars to cheer on from the famous Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto hillsides, but their new premier class starboy will – arguably – be the most popular of the lot. Maybe Dani Pedrosa (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) have something to say about that. 

Does more history beckon for Acosta?

This is the question we're all wondering. After a P3 in Portugal and a P2 in Texas, Acosta is closing in on breaking Marc Marquez’s (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) youngest-ever premier class winner record. After becoming the ninth rookie to claim back-to-back rostrums in the MotoGP™ era, 2024’s rookie sensation has until the German GP to seize that accolade away from the eight-time World Champion. And given what we’ve seen already, no one will be shocked if that were to unfold in the coming couple of months. 

You’ll find it difficult to find someone who thinks it's beyond the realms of possibility that Jerez could witness Acosta’s first Sunday win in MotoGP™. A tough ask? Of course. Jerez is a track where every rider in the premier class could hit every apex while blindfolded, and it'll be Acosta's first time here on a MotoGP™ thoroughbred. But the same was said about Portimao and COTA. It's not slowed him down thus far. 

In his three Grand Prix visits to the iconic venue, the #31 boasts a win – 2021 in Moto3™ – and a Moto2™ second place finish in 2023 in Andalusia. Even if a second win doesn’t come on Sunday afternoon, a third Jerez podium would see Acosta become the youngest rider to take three premier class podiums in three successive races. Taking the record from… Marc Marquez. 

In addition, a third Sunday podium in succession would see Acosta emulate Marquez, Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo's feats in their respective rookie MotoGP™ seasons. That's a serious bit of company for Acosta to potentially join. 

No pressure, Pedro

As we know, Acosta isn’t a rider who takes any notice of the outside noise. Will there be more pressure at his home Grand Prix than there has been in the previous three races? Yes. But that’s normal. Home GPs always have an added sprinkling of pressure. It's part of what makes them extra special. 

Don’t expect the 19-year-old to show any signs of being under pressure though. The only pressure Acosta will be feeling is the weight he's putting on himself, and after having enjoyed a couple of gulps of podium success, we know he's ready to stand on the top step. When? Who knows. What we do know is there would be no better place than Jerez to etch his name into the history books. Again.