Until then, few criticisms fell on the helmet of Maverick Viñales. A MotoGP hopeful at 21, he was above all a Suzuki rider, an outsider. But since he signed for the next two years with Yamaha, his actions have been the subject of particular attention. As if the traditional favorites were aligning their sights on the one who will inevitably be a direct opponent.
The signal was given to Mugello by a Jorge Lorenzo which revealed his certainty that he was working in concert with his teammate and rival Valentino Rossi for qualifying. In Barcelona, two weeks later, he had no respite. It must be said that his best time set on Friday, before the change in the configuration of the track for the dramatic reasons that we know, had kept him in the spotlight. Then there was the race.
An ordeal whose start was marked by incessant attacks on Dani Pedrosa, the last lock before joining the leading trio. A determination that did not please everyone. Particularly in the Honda camp: “ I had chosen the option of a soft rear tire and I therefore had to take care of it at the start for the rest of the Grand Prix. It wasn't easy because Maverick kept attacking me. But he tried to pass me in impossible places and we lost time. We have also lost contact with the leaders ».
A regret shared by Livio Suppo, the HRC trackside man: “ Dani was put in difficulty at the start of the race by Maverick. Some of this one's attacks were a little too aggressive. Which did not allow us to keep the pace and stay in contact with the leading group ».
In his defense, the Suzuki official discusses his own strategy : " I tried to overtake the slower Dani to quickly join the wake of Rossi and Marc Márquez, but unfortunately, my tires did not give me enough grip even though the top speed of the Honda was higher ". It will also be noted that Casa Particular in Viñales is the shadow of Pedrosa in the general classification, the two men being separated by ten points for the gain of fourth place.
