The death of Dean Berta Viñales, during the test of the Supersport 300 category of the Superbike World Championship, on September 25, in Jerez, had a great impact on the Spanish rider. At first, Viñales chose to travel to Austin , location of the last round of the MotoGP world championship. However, upon arriving in Houston, he was unable to cope with what was coming his way. After asking his team, Aprilia gave him permission to return home and be absent from the United States Grand Prix, in which he had to continue his adaptation phase to the RS-GP.
The race in Texas is already behind us and Viñales, like the rest of the paddock, is already installed in Misano , where this Sunday the penultimate stop on the calendar will take place.
This is the most familiar track for the #12 since he joined the Noale brand, with whom, so far, he has only contested two races: Aragón and the first one held here, in San Marino. Previously, Mack had already lapped at the Marco Simoncelli Circuit in a test that served as the first contact with his new prototype.
Asked about the mixed feelings that overwhelm him at the moment, Viñales was most explicit: “I feel strange. On the one hand, I am the happiest man in the world, with Nina (his daughter) and Raquel (his wife), but at the same time it is the saddest moment of my life. That is why I have tried to be with my family, which is my comfort zone”, described the driver from Roses (Girona), who asks for time to be able to continue coupling with a prototype that has nothing to do with those he knew to date (Suzuki and Yamaha).
“In just a few days I feel part of the team, and that pushes me when I’m on the track. The best way to reward him is with results. The results will come, but it takes time. I come from a bike that rides completely differently and I need to reprogram myself”, stressed Viñales, who finished 13th in the test on this same stage, on September 19, 21 seconds behind the winner (Pecco Bagnaia).
(Click on the link or on the image to see the photos of Maverick Viñales in the last San Marino GP)
