MotoGP’s annual visit to COTA na🐈turally evokes memories of Texas’ most famouಌs motorcycle racer, 1993 500cc world champion Kevin Schwantz.

Schwantz’s lega♐cy means that even though the current MotoGP🅺 grid were too young to see him race live, his thrilling antics on the Suzuki and fan-friendly showman approach still prompt universal admiration.

That includes current Mot🎀꧋oGP rookie Pedro Acosta, born in 2004, who remembers going to see a retired Schwantz at a meet and greet for fans at Jerez.

“We need more people like hꦆim,” said Acosta, who has long counted Schwantz as one of his racing heroes. “But I'm not talking [just] about ridinᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚg or competition.

“We need more people like him because I remember🌟 going to Jerez, when I was maybe 8 years old or something, and [Schwantz] was the only guy that spent maybe 4 hours signing autographs outdoors for the fans. For this, we need more people like him.”

Reigning double world champion Francesco Bagnaia, an avid fan of MotoGP history, de♏scribed Schwantz as ‘one of the most spectacular riders we ever saw’.

“I didn't have the chance to see him live,🎉 but what I saw [from videos] is that his talent was very explosive. He was doing incredible things, like the famous overtake [on Wayne Rainey] in Hockenheim,” Bagnaia said.

“He didn't have ꦇa normal, safe or calm career for all these injuriꦦes that he had. But for sure was one of the most spectacular riders we ever saw.”

Six time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez added: “Kevin has his own character, his own riding style, and it was amazing to watch. Of course, I didn't watch him live, but I re-watched many of his races and he's this kind of riderဣ that you remember more about what he was෴ doing, than about the titles.

“Because in the end the titles were not 🎃a lot, only one. But he was a showman on the race track, pushing always a💛t 100% and I love this riding style.”

Fellow world champion Fabio Quartararo agreed.

“I didn't really have the chance to really see him riding, I’ve just seen a few races from the past, I think with Wayne Rainey in Suzuka. But the way he was braking was quite unique and also as a person and a character Kevin𒁃 is a really great person, and of course a great rider.”

Looking more🐽 widely, Acosta, on the podium in only his second MotoGP race at Portimao, feels the current crop of p๊remier-class riders should be more comfortable with their own characters.

“I think no one can be like [Schwantz] but we need to be more natural. I think we need to be like 10 years ago, when we had characters like ✨Casey [Stoner], like Dani [Pedrosa]. Not everyone in the same way. Not changing anything [about their character]. That’s it.”