MotoGP – Viñales: "When you go ten in the race, you don't push anymore"

May 30, 2021

One of the demands of the Yamaha riders was the dual holeshot device, until now installed at the rear and, as of this weekend, also working at the front.

“The start went well. I’m happy with how the ‘dual holeshot ‘ worked. The first corner was very far away and we didn’t gain positions, but at the moment of leaving we were strong and I’m happy with this. We have to continue like this, but I think we can improve even more. We can put more power because the bike, with low gears, does not wheelie. Yamaha has done a great job and, above all, has brought it on time. We have an advantage in that aspect compared to previous races”, valued the Spanish driver.

“The weekend has been from more to less. We have not been able to improve. Analyzing a bit, in FP1 I was on the soft front tire and that was when I had the best sensations. That can give directions. You have to investigate it. But it is clear that I am not happy at all because it is not the level I should be at. You have to understand it and evolve.”

In the race, despite starting so far behind, the final difference with his teammate, Fabio Quartararo, winner this Sunday, was very large, 17.2 seconds.

“When you’re in no man’s land, 10th, you don’t push anymore. I couldn’t catch Nakagami, he was going like a plane and you don’t push the same anymore, there’s no need. I got very involved at the beginning (with Pirro). Each lap was in 1:49 and those in front have gone very quickly. When I was riding I could only do a medium-high 1:47, which wasn’t bad to finish fifth or sixth, but in a group I was going 1:49 and that way you can’t recover. We have to investigate to see what happened.”

Viñales won the first race of the season in Qatar , but his performance has since faded.

“What makes me think the most is that in Qatar we had five days to get the bike ready and we had a setting , but when we arrived at a grand prix on Friday, with little time, we couldn’t find a set-up. It is the only thing different between the first race and the following ones. I rode there for five days, I did 400 laps and the bike worked very well with used rubber. But when you get to another circuit where you only have three practices, we start very well but we go downhill. We must understand why this happens to us and solve it.”

“I’m going to Barcelona very motivated, it’s a circuit that I love, I think we want to be strong again and fight for victory, so we’ll go with everything”.

Finally, Viñales valued the protocol of having to run a race after learning of the unfortunate death of Jason Dupasquier.

“You are never mentally prepared for something like that. It is hard to believe that someone could lose their life on a circuit with the security we have today. Really Jason’s fall was very bad luck. If Sasaki had not been there he would have gone to the right and nothing would have happened, but with the first hit and staying in the middle of the track, it really is very bad luck. I feel very bad and I can only offer my condolences to the whole family and the team, which in the end is still your second family”, settled the Roses player.