Acosta faced his first Moto2 race at the Assen ‘Cathedral’ after missing the traditional Dutch event last year due to injury. And he lacked rhythm since he arrived, although he saved the furniture with a second row on the grid and, above all, ahead of his main rival for the title, Tony Arbolino, who started 10th.
From pole position, Alonso López from Madrid made an impeccable start and took a few metres; while Acosta failed at the start and saw how the Moto2 leader was at his wheel. The race soon split in two. Ahead, López took Jake Dixon and Ai Ogura to his wheel. And behind, Acosta remained locked in a second group with the Spaniards Albert Arenas, Fermín Aldeguer and Arón Canet, and Arbolino himself.
The determination of the driver from Murcia in the last chicane made him gain positions until he was left with a free hand to hunt down the leading trio. To which he arrived in the middle of the race, letting go of his rivals from behind. Acosta’s rise contrasted with López’s downturn, which was deflating and in one lap he went from leading the race to fourth.
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Acosta now only had two riders ahead, but the key moment came on Sunday. When he tackled that iconic chicane from start to finish and lost his front wheel. Although he saved the fall in extremis, he went long and skipped that double curve. And despite losing time, he was penalized by race management for completing a long lap.
The Murcian, obedient, complied instantly, giving up his chances of victory, but without losing position with Aldeguer and Canet who were coming from behind. In the television images it was seen how the motorcycle of the Murcian stepped beyond the allowed line when he was taking his penalty. Which would have meant doing it again. However, and although he had to beg, it was not until the penultimate lap that it was announced that the long lap had been correct. Before the anger of his rivals.
Ahead, Dixon celebrated his first World Cup victory that came after nine podiums, second came Ogura and Pedro Acosta, third with 39 thousandths of an advantage over Aldeguer and less than half a second over Canet. The teams of both claimed, also that of the leader Arbolino, seventh in the race. Thus, the Moto2 results were quarantined until there was a formal decision. In any case, Acosta fulfilled his objective of going into the summer break with a disadvantage of 10 points or less over the Italian.
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