Maverick Viñales is starting to reap the rewards of his work with Aprilia. The Spanish rider, who had already qualified in second position yesterday, climbed to the second step of the podium , having crossed the finish line behind the winner, Pecco Bagnaia.
This is the second consecutive podium finish for the Catalan on the Aprilia, uncorking the champagne, after finishing third in the Dutch Grand Prix .
Although he crossed the finish line almost half a second behind the winner, ‘ Top Gun ‘ was about to take the victory. With one lap to go, Viñales managed to stick to Bagnaia ‘s wheel , but his tires said enough.
“I tried it, I tried it, but there was little rubber left,” explains Viñales. “He cut me off from behind at the first corner, and from then on I was more into closing the door on Miller than attacking Pecco.”
Looking at the starting and finishing position, it might seem that the Catalan had an easy race, but it was not. A technical problem at the start caused him to lose quite a few positions, and he was forced to come back throughout the race.
“At the start I couldn’t use the rear height adjuster because in the first sector it didn’t get unstuck (it’s an area without strong enough braking). The others used it and pulverized me. But we had the pace to go forward,” he laments .
In this sense, in statements to the international signal in the Parc Fermé, Viñales said that, with a view to the next races, “we have to start pushing harder from the beginning” to avoid problems like today’s.
In any case, the Spaniard has acknowledged feeling “happy”. “The work is bearing fruit, we are building. Today I have learned a lot and, furthermore, I know where I am strong”.
Maverick goes to the Austrian GP full of morale, and does not hide that he is already working thinking about getting the victory .
“Little by little I feel more integrated into the bike. We left it a little better than in Assen, and we’ll continue to grow. We’ll work to win in Austria, that’s the goal. I’m happy and content because everything works”.
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