MotoGP, Vinales: Use Rossi’s settings? We have different riding styles

Maverick Viñales’ Grand Prix did not last long, not even a lap, and perhaps about three corners.

The Spaniard did not bring home even one point from Brno. The crash that Bradl initiated left him in the gravel straight away, powerless and limping, with his M1 out of commission and semi-destroyed. The worst way to finish a weekend that started with low hopes: “Fortunately, however, I was not hurt – Maverick specified- I am fine and that is the most important thing. How the accident happened, I don’t know. I felt a bike hit the rear tire of my Yamaha and I ended up in the gravel. It’s a pity, but these things can happen if you start twelve.”

Number 25’s speed had not been first place material from the beginning of the three days; only in warm up did something change: “In fact, I shaved a second off my best time of the weekend – he recounted – and, even in view of the race, I was very confident that I could do well. Despite the fact that the air and asphalt temperatures suddenly dropped, I managed to have more grip on the rear of the bike, choosing the right tire. I felt like I could express myself well, riding a great race, but I was unable to demonstrate it.”

Tomorrow there will be a day of testing on which to work. Do you think maybe it would be good to share work method and data with Rossi?

“We will need to focus on every aspect of our factory M1 machines. Electronics are the weak point, but that is not the only thing: the whole bike needs to be improved, from acceleration to braking, down to going into corners. We’ll keep working hard. In Austria I’ll have to start over from scratch, hoping to find the competitiveness I have lost. Right here in Brno I was strong and almost last year. I finished on the third step of the podium, but now the situation is not like in 2017. The mistakes made in FP3 conditioned everything. As for sharing data in the garage, I can say that Rossi and I have a totally different way of riding. Our styles are very different. It would not be helpful for me at all to use his settings on my bike. I need to follow a different and particular work method. I need to follow my own path.”

In the meantime, the second place in the overall standings gets farther away.

“I have no interest in thinking about the rider standings. What I need is to find the feeling with my bike and the competitiveness that I had last year. There has been much talk about problems in these past days. I say that when you lower the visor, I forget any problem and I just give 100%, always. I work hard every day to stay at the front and that is my first goal.”