For the Aprilia rider, the MotoGP French Grand Prix was a new step forward in his adaptation to the 2022 RS-GP, and he positively valued the work of the weekend and the 10th place achieved in Sunday’s race.
“I think it has been an interesting and positive race for us, we have collected a lot of useful information for Mugello. We are close to making the leap, so we have to keep pushing and with a lot of motivation,” Viñales said in conversation with Motorsport.com
One of Maverick Viñales’s problems with the Aprilia is that he didn’t feel it was his, he didn’t quite feel comfortable with the bike.
“Every time I feel better, I think we still need to make some changes to the ergonomics on the bike to finish fitting in well, I’m still a little uncomfortable, but little by little I’m feeling better, every race I take a step forward”.
Accustomed to so many years with the in-line four-cylinder Yamaha , Maverick is convinced that he will finally find a way to ride the V-four Aprilia and, therefore, a different behavior.
“I think my riding style is going to end up adapting to this kind of bike, but we are going to need time and, above all, understand how to do it with this type of bike, make the bike do what I need it to. It will take time, but Once we get it, I’ll go fast, for sure.”
The Suzuki team was the one that took Viñales to the premier class in 2015, and was the first rider to achieve a victory for the house of Hamamatsu after his return to MotoGP. For the Catalan, the news of the departure of the Japanese from the championship was an unexpected bomb.
“The maneuver is difficult to evaluate, I think it is a decision that comes from above, not from the MotoGP team. It makes me very sad because I know all the members of Suzuki very well here in the races, and when news like this comes out it is It’s hard to stay motivated. I know them well, they all have families, they’re going to lose their jobs, it’s complicated. It’s very sad and it’s a very strange decision for those of us in this world”.
A position that, moreover, is going to shake up the rider market, and Maverick ends his contract with Aprilia at the end of the year.
“For me, little changes, I’m fine where I am and I want to improve, the bike can become very good, it can have a lot of potential and little by little it shows. I want to continue in this project because, honestly, I like the bike, I like the team and how we are focusing everything. I’m going to push for this project”.
A few words that contrast with some insistent rumors that Maverick would have already made the decision to retire at the end of the season, leave the World Cup and focus on his family, which is the center of his life right now.
“Honestly, I’m calm and I have time. Every year I feel better, more prepared and better physically. I know it’s going to be quite a process to adapt to a completely new bike, in the end I’ve been riding two Japanese bikes for nine years that are very different, they have nothing to do with each other, it will take time”.
“I have been with this new bike for seven races (not counting the ones at the end of last year), in some training sessions I am ahead, even leading, that means that once I have it integrated in my hand and the head automatism goes, I will only be able to do things I hadn’t done until now. I’m really looking forward to it”.
Let’s just say, then, that withdrawal doesn’t cross Maverick’s mind.
“No way, no way! (he repeats between laughs). I have an immense desire to eat everything,” settles the boy from the Costa Brava.
