KTM MotoGP technical ༺boss Sebastian Risse is impressed - but not surprised - by rookie star Pedro Acosta’s early heroics in the premier class.

The former Moto3 and reigning Moto2 world champion has finished in the top three at the last three events, with grand prix🧜 podiums at Portimao and COTA followed by runner-up in the Jerez Sprint.

Currently riding an RC16 for the GASGAS-branded T෴ech3 team, teenager Acosta holds fourth in the world championship, as the top ‘KTM’🍌 rider.

“Honestly, I am not surprised but I am very, very impressed,” Risse told Mo🅷toGP.com

“In the other classes you could see how quick this guy ไis learning. How adaptive he is.

“But with other riders🌠 you have seen that changing into MotoGP is a different thing. It can go either way.

“Usually you have to f𒁃orce a rookie to stay calm, to keep the bike set-up, not turn it upside-down, and to learn instead.

“Pedro is the opposite. He is so content about ꦰthe bike, and ꦇwhat he has.

“He is so eager to just get the maximum out of it, and to focus on what he can do, before reacting on the technical side. He is very calm a💝nd very confident.”

In terms of what makes🧜 Acosta special on track, Risse revealed:

“He has a very unique style. He brakes very late. But very calm, very much under control. He stops the bike, he doesn’t need a🥀 ജbike that stops extremely well.

“Then, he has a unique style of how he is using his♌ body to handle the bik🐼e to turn.

“These two aspects make him very unique.

“I am c✅onvinced he will fig♓ht for the title, but it is too early to discuss when.

“We need to give him time. He needs to take his time. And really get his f🃏ull potential in this class. And I’m sure he will win.”

Casting his eye more broadly ovꦗer the RC16 project, Risse feels they have “a very stro꧒ng, or maybe even the strongest, engine at the moment”.

♑They have also “fixed the weak 💃points” of last year’s aero, but “kept the strong points."

Unlike Apriliꦗa, KTM is yet to win a Sprint or Grand Prix race this season.

But the construc𒆙tors’ table ꧑has KTM second only to Ducati, a ranking Risse agrees with.

“At the moജment, it looks like we are the second strongest manufacturer.

"Our top rider is usually the first non-Ducati rider. But it mea♏ns we have to find a step to really fight the top Ducatis,” he said.

“We knew, we exp༺ected, it would not be easy. Everyone is tryiℱng very hard. You have ups and downs. 

"What is pa𓆏rticular and characteristic aﷺbout KTM is that we have very high targets. We will win. It’s a matter of time.”