MotoGP Valencia-1 J1: engine stock exhausted, sanctioned and with a case of COVID-19 in his box, Viñales (YAMAHA/11) suffers

In Valencia, almost all the misfortunes in the world fell on the head of Maverick Viñales. He first learned that his employer Yamaha had made a mistake in handling an engine problem, a mechanic that he no longer has in reserve, which will force him to leave the pit lane on Sunday, for the race. At least he keeps his championship points despite the Iwata manufacturer's mistake. But now a case of COVID-19 has broken out in his box…

Maverick Vinales has made up his mind: this season will not be his. The adversity on the track and behind the scenes proved too much. Even if, to give a lie, he has not completely resigned himself to throwing in the towel in the title race, he knows that he is in a bad position: “ you can imagine our state of mind » he begins discouraged after free practice on Friday, trying to take the events philosophically. “ Every year we lose the opportunity to win the title because of mistakes. So of course my feeling is very negative ».

However… " But I have a perfect situation, a perfect life, I don't want to be angry anymore, I want to be happy. If I don't win the championship this year, I'll have a chance next year or the next. I have two more seasons of contract with Yamaha and we can do something big ».

Casa Particular in Viñales will have a new engine for this meeting, and as he already had no more in stock, he will start from the pit lane for the Sunday race. “ From Aragon, I reached the end of my engines. We manage them as best we can and in the second Grand Prix I only had one left with many kilometers, so I was only able to do a few laps ».

A COVID-19 case in his box!

Staying with only one engine available for the last three race weekends was not possible, hence the need to use a new one, even at the cost of a penalty. Maverick's weekend is already heavily compromised. Add to this that the first day of free practice did not give him any particularly positive indications, with a simple eleventh place result.

« Yesterday we were still discussing whether to take the risk of using engine number five, to limit the laps in free practice and hope that the bike would not stop in the race He continues. " But it was too dangerous for me. We don't have a good setup, the bike doesn't work, and I would also have had to face the race with an old engine and that didn't make sense. We had to put together a new one. It is true that I will have to start from the pit lane and I will not be able to do anything about it. Title chances are now much tougher, but anything can happen ».

That being said, the Top Gun also has another concern... As if all this was not enough, the news of the coronavirus positivity of one of its technicians also arrived, which forced him to undergo another sample . “ I made it this morning, so we'll see », He explains. " In the meantime, I'm trying to take the greatest precautions, firstly because I have important people at home, and secondly not to pass Covid to my team or other drivers. What else can happen in a weekend? I don't know... » ends the fatalistic Spaniard. It will be recalled that Valentino Rossi has just received a negative test after a period of isolation for having been infected with the coronavirus. You might not want to send it back too soon. gerloff at home…

MotoGP Valencia-1 J1: classification