Maverick Vinales Steadies Ship After Aprilia Setback

After not scoring any points in the San Marino MotoGP for Aprilia, Formula One driver Maverick Vinales has come back strongly in the Emilia Romagna and Indonesian races. He finished sixth in both races. Vinales has not lost his confidence and is focused on the positives for his team for the next round in Japan.

Mandalika: A Race of Missed Opportunities

Maverick Vinales believed that his result in Mandalika was even better than it looked. Why? Because he was able to keep up with race winner Jorge Martin in the middle portion. He took over KTM’s Brad Binder on lap 15 and for the next 12 laps, he was at the same pace as Martin, though he was 1.453 seconds behind him. According to Crash.net, Maverick said, “When I was on my own around lap 15-16, I matched Martin’s rhythm. So it wasn’t bad. I don’t know how much they were pushing at the front, but we had the speed this weekend. The only issue was our qualifying position; starting tenth on the grid really hurt us.”

Maverick Vinales Focused on Improvement

During interviews, Maverick Vinales said that qualifying sessions should be more accurate. That is why, in preparing for Japan, he continues to bear the same passion for it into the race. As for the concerns, Vinales has had a lack of stability in the braking system. He observed that the bike becomes unpredictable from lap to lap, and this could pose a big challenge to them at Motegi since it is quite a vicious track. 

“It’s going to be a big challenge for us, especially since it’s known for heavy braking,” Vinales said. “However, I think we can use it as an opportunity to improve our braking performance. I’m confident that we can achieve a good result.”

Espargaro Seeks Podium Consistency

Teammate Aleix Espargaro is also eager to capitalize on his recent form. After a podium finish in Austria, he hopes to replicate that success at Motegi. Aleix also told Crash.net, “Motegi is one of my favorite tracks; it’s always a special Grand Prix. I can’t wait to get there and try to find a better feeling compared to the last few races.”

Espargaro admitted that the rhythm of the circuit is stop-and-go and pointed out that the team has improved its performance in this respect, as can be seen in the sprint race held in Austria. Maverick Vinales occupies the seventh position in the world championship;  Espargaro is eighth. If anything, having regained the confidence and determination lost in the previous races, both riders are geared to face future challenges in a much better manner.

Final Thoughts

With the RPM coming to the Land of the Rising Sun, Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaro aim for more. Maverick Vinales wants to gain better qualifying and better braking, while Espargaro’s goal is to finish on the podium as he did in Motegi. For both riders, as they are in comfortable points range in the championship, it increases the probability of positive performance at the remainder of the race season.