In Aprilia there is "curiosity to see how Viñales reacts under pressure"

February 15, 2022

In the pre-season that ended last Sunday in Indonesia, Noale ‘s mark seemed to have confirmed the step forward that he already hinted at the previous week, in Sepang.

In the combined classification of the last three days of practice, in Mandalika, Aleix Espargaró finished in fourth place, three tenths behind the fastest, his brother Pol , and one ahead of Viñales, who finished eighth overall.

Maverick joined Aprilia at the end of last season, after a traumatic break with Yamaha. His best result in the last five Grands Prix that he disputed already wearing the suit of the Italian company was the eighth position that he won in the second race held in Misano, where he crossed the finish line close to Aleix.

Having overcome the period of adaptation to the new bike and to what will surely be his new home for some time, Viñales must now validate the bet made by Aprilia, and the only way to do it is with results and contributing his experience to make the RS- GP an even sharper prototype.

“Maverick has brought a huge knowledge of a type of bikes that turn very well, like the Suzuki and the Yamaha. Being such a sensitive rider, I think it will also be an advantage in the development of the bike”, declared Massimo Rivola in a talk with Motorsport.com in Indonesia.

Viñales’s time with Yamaha was not a bed of roses, even though his first steps in the builder of the three tuning forks seemed to anticipate it – he won the first two races there, in 2017.

Then came the friction and misunderstandings, which later led to a confrontation that could only be resolved by parting ways: first Maverick Viñales resigned from the second year of the contract he had signed (2022), and then with the forced divorce as a result of the incident in the last laps of the Styrian Grand Prix – he drove erratically.

The outcome and his arrival at Aprilia, a structure that cannot compete for the title, as was the case with Yamaha, made many think that the Catalan was looking for a place where the pressure was not so great.

“I am very happy to have Maverick and to see how he has integrated. Our idea is to continue with him as long as possible, because he is the perfect age (27 years old). Last year we only did five races with him, that we take them more as a test. This year there will be 21 grand prix. I am curious to see how Maverick reacts under pressure”, affirmed Rivola, convinced that both he and the new human group that he has created around the boy from Roses (Girona ), will make your best version stabilize.

“After what they had told me and what I had seen of him on television, we want to see if we have been able to make him evolve,” settled the executive.