Jorge Lorenzo names the MotoGP race which Pedro Acosta will win

Jorge Lorenzo believes Pedro Acosta will win a MotoGP race this year.

The teenage rookie has stunned everyone in the paddock through the first two rounds of the 2024 season.

Acosta has drawn comparisons to a young Marc Marquez, who won the MotoGP title in his rookie campaign.

Two-time premier class champion Lorenzo has pinpointed the circuit where Acosta can take a massive next step towards fulfilling his huge potential.

“I see him as a winner in Jerez,” Lorenzo told DAZN.

“In the sprint or in the long race, I see him as a winner.

“[Elsewhere] it will rain or there will be mechanical failures or they will throw it.

“But if any race he can win, it is Jerez.

"He will arrive a little more prepared, the KTM GASGAS is doing very well on that track, last year they were very good.

“I think Jerez is a good opportunity.”

Acosta became the third-youngest podium finisher ever at the Portuguese MotoGP.

"You're a phenomenon, we know that, but I'm going to give you homework," Lorenzo said in an interview with Acosta afterwards.

Acosta replied: "Let's see, let's see, surprise me.”

Lorenzo told Acosta: “First of all, you make us enjoy it like children, you put on a show, both in Qatar and here.

“We are tense, you make us tense all the time, with those overtakes and the reality is that you have made history, man. Enjoy it.

"I think you have tremendous potential.

“Let's see if you agree with me about those weak points that you have, or that I see that you have.

“I think that the start must be improved, you will agree with that.

“And then I see chatter from behind entering the corner, which I assume will be from the KTM, or the GASGAS, in this case.

"Then that corner entry, that engine brake, I see that the rear [sliding] is a little excessive under certain braking conditions.

“I don't know if you'll be with me?”

Acosta replied to Lorenzo: “It's true that maybe we had too much engine brake, especially on Turn 15 because I couldn't finish closing it.

“We saw that Bagnaia went much longer at the beginning and then closed it better.

"We have several things to improve. Maybe the bike has become a little looser at the back and we have lost that contact at the back that is now more important with so much aerodynamics.

"On the other hand we have improved stability when exiting corners, but there is still room to do [more].

“We have to put our efforts especially with the electronic part.

“Many of these vibrations are created by the electronics.”