Pedro Acosta "didn't expect" sprint penalty for Marc Marquez

Pedro Acosta was not remotely angry with Marc Marquez following the penultimate-lap incident that could have cost him his breakthrough MotoGP win.

Marquez was penalised for pushing the KTM rider wide as he reclaimed the lead at Turn 12, with the stewards quickly instructing him to drop a position.

This ensured Acosta was finally able to cross the line first in a MotoGP race. But without the penalty, he would likely have had to settle for second given the gap that had opened up after the incident.

After the race, however, Acosta said he was surprised by the penalty and bore no grudge towards Marquez.

Asked if he had expected Marquez to let him through at the final turn of the race, Acosta replied: “No. I went over the finish line thinking, ‘What’s going on?'”

Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Marc Marquez, Ducati Team

Photo by: Qian Jun / MB Media via Getty Images

Acosta said there had been contact – “He touched me; he touched me” – but added that he would have done the same to Marquez.

“It’s what makes MotoGP so exciting. You know, in the end you remember that kind of battle and these kinds of moments. It was a nice race for the fans.

“This was my best battle so far [in MotoGP].”

Speaking on television directly after the race, Acosta remarked that the late gift from Marquez had left him with an odd feeling after finally breaking his MotoGP duck.

“Maybe I don’t really feel like a winner because he let me pass,” he said. “We’ll try to get this real victory tomorrow.”