Here we are entering the vigil of the first Grand Prix of the 2020 MotoGP season, which has been long overdue. But the adversity was great, on the order of a pandemic. Downright. Impossible, however, is not Ezpeleta any more than Dorna, who have achieved the feat of developing a calendar on the ruins of the previous one, while avoiding the bankruptcy of the paddock. This campaign will therefore be special and, from Jerez next weekend, we will have to understand that. It will be short and intense. Maverick Viñales' chief mechanic has his idea of his appearance. And it’s quite radical!
Stephen Garcia is the one who, at Yamaha , managed to channel a Maverick Vinales who was starting to get lost in Iwata's box. He was among those who experienced his first world title in Moto3. He therefore knows his pilot well who appreciates him too. An evolution of which he takes stock, before launching into the first scrum of the year at Jerez, for the Spanish Grand Prix: “ the truth is that Mavrick has passed a fairly significant milestone in terms of maturity over the last two years. And it is essential to be able to fight for the world title. Age and experience helped him. The first sign came from him and from there the pieces came together. An important part is that he regained the relationship with his father, Ángel. He opens up a little more and the team towards him “, declared the Spaniard on DAZN.
Yamaha is not Ducati
Yamaha also made its contribution to this new peace of mind, by showing its interest in the rider: “ having a contract gives you peace of mind. Imagine with the Covid situation, with so much uncertainty, not having a contract. It was at the right time. Yamaha pulled out all the stops for him to stay and that's what he appreciated the most because he had a lot of options for him to leave. See that they will go in a specific direction of work, the fact that Yamaha is heading towards it without waiting like other brands do. When manufacturer Yamaha saw there was a chance he could leave, they set to work to keep him ».
An approach that is the opposite of the policy currently pursued by Ducati, a builder who thought he had it nailed, before Yamaha don't brake him this winter... From then on, Maverick's track engineer sees him very focused and calmer because he feels that things are going in the direction he wants.
A state of mind which will be a solid point of support in this season which will be anything but easy. Stephen Garcia sees it this way: “ it will be a short championship where a driver who is not good on one circuit will be able to improve from the second attempt. The situation is different. We will have to adapt and think more about the day to day, more than what is going to happen. The most important thing is that you make the most of every moment ».
« If you start calculating then Marquez will not wait for you. This season you will have to be ready to die »Assures Garcia, speaking, obviously, in a figurative sense…
