Maverick Vinales, the ex-Bad Boy of Moto3, quickly established himself as the most promising hope in MotoGP. It's an open secret to say that today he arouses the desire of all the factories, and that Davide Brivio will have to provide him with a very competitive Suzuki if he intends to keep him beyond this year.
The Spanish driver, generally taciturn and speaking relatively little, for once spoke at length to Oriol Puigdemont in the Losail paddock, about his present and what his future could be.
Maverick Vinales is obviously satisfied with his pre-season testing which he finished 2nd at Valencia, 12th at Sepang (following electronic problems), 1st at Phillip Island and 3rd at Losail.
Unlike his teammate, #25 temporarily chose to stay with its 2015 chassis as it acclimatized perfectly with the soft Michelin front tire. He is also looking forward to using his seamless gearbox in races, whether in Qatar or later.
Although setting for this year the objective of regularly finishing in the Top 6, the best rookie of 2015 is perfectly aware that he still has a lot to learn: “I still have a lot to learn. For example, I have never led a race before. You learn more by competing in a race at the front than by spending years lost in the middle of the pack. It's different, the level is much higher, mistakes cost more and the pressure is increased tenfold. »
As for the seasons to come, the answer is straightforward: “I see myself fighting for the World Championship, whether with Suzuki or another brand. »
And, on this subject, the native of Girona shows impressive maturity in his analysis : “Both Suzuki and I knew that the project was still very young when we joined forces. The first five or six races will decide my future. If I really see that I have the level to fight up front but the bike doesn't allow me to, then I will think about the path to take. But today, it seems smart to forget that and concentrate on the first Grands Prix, and approach them as if they were the last. »
With such responses crowning very promising off-season performances, we understand better that almost all the factories would like to sign a contract for the youngest MotoGP rider on the grid... Suzuki included, obviously!
