Massimo Meregalli is the director of the official Yamaha team. When he takes stock of Maverick Viñales' first part of the season, we never suspect that the divorce by mutual consent between the driver and the manufacturer has already been pronounced. And that it will come into effect at the end of this year. An intervention which symbolizes all the originality of this relationship which will have been special, from start to finish.
Maverick Vinales started his 2021 season with flying colors, giving the impression, after an authoritative performance during the first Grand Prix in Qatar, that he was going to assume the role of leader within the factory Yamaha , orphan of Valentino Rossi. The Spaniard then said that he had never felt so good, even mentioning that his new fatherhood had positively changed him.
The illusion only lasted one meeting before Quarterly, his new teammate, sets out mercilessly. In the eighth round, in Germany, Casa Particular in Viñales threw in the towel by announcing the premature end of a contract which was to last until the end of 2022. In the meantime, Yamaha had changed his chief engineer and the maneuver had been interpreted by observers as a strong sign of disavowal.
The first half of 2021 was therefore eventful for the Spaniard. On motogp.com, the team director Yamaha takes stock… In a way that challenges. He says thus: “ Maverick won the first race of the season in fantastic fashion “, declared the Italian. “ But when we arrived in Europe he had problems with the bike. The corner in particular was its weak point, particularly visible at Portimão, Jerez and Le Mans. We never had the chance to provide Maverick with a package that made it easier to run »
Meregalli continues: “ we decided to try something completely different. In Barcelona we tried something to help him control the bike better and it worked. We improved the turns, but at the expense of rear wheel grip »
Meregalli talks about a return to the top: but for what purpose?
During the seventh round of the season in Barcelona, Casa Particular in Viñales not only had to adapt to fundamental changes in its Yamaha M1, but also to a new member of the team, his former team leader Stephen Garcia having been replaced after the Italian Grand Prix by Silvano Galbussera, former team leader of Valentino Rossi. " We have now done two races in this new organization and we just need a little more time to get back to the top, but we are not far away ", said Meregalli with confidence in the face of change. We will nevertheless recall that if the latter had proved encouraging in the Netherlands, it had distinguished itself by disastrous results a week before in Germany.
Return to the top? But what's the point, since the relationship is already over. On the Assen podium, Casa Particular in Viñales was already elsewhere and clearly dissociated himself from the jubilation of the Yamaha men who were celebrating the victory of their other rider Quarterly. The latter now has 61 points ahead in the championship over the Spaniard 26 years old, Grand Prix winner 25 times. He still has 10 races to go on an M1 whose title chances are only in the hands of the 22-year-old Frenchman. He shouldn't come back too strong. at the top " as we say Meregalli, so as not to disturb his teammate. But just enough to be able to take points from your direct opponents in the title race...
