Since his victory at Assen, Maverick Viñales is doing much better on his Yamaha. In the last eight races he has scored points. Five times during this period, he started from the front row and reached as many podiums. Here he is, the best driver in M1 in a championship that he can envisage finishing in the top three. And yet, the Spaniard proclaims to anyone who will listen that his future would no longer necessarily pass through Iwata. The director of the official team bearing the three tuning forks, Massimo Meregalli, takes stock of the situation…
Maverick Vinales has resumed his subscription among the leading men of MotoGP. At the end of qualifying he often finds himself on the front row, and even in pole position as at Misano. In the race, the podium almost became logical. Everything would be even better if, during the first four or five laps at the start of the Grand Prix, he did not find the pace sufficient to stay with those who are really aiming for victory. However, a problem is being addressed. If, in Misano, Casa Particular in Viñales let go after four laps, before partially catching up again, Aragon, he only lost 5,8 seconds to the winner Marc Márquez. In Buriram, he left only 1,3 seconds and finished in third position.
The noose is therefore tightening. And it is the fruit of a long work. Massimo Meregalli explains as follows: “ it's a question of self-confidence. We are working closely with him to make his first rounds even better. Maverick originally wanted a better feel from the front. This is why we placed a lot of emphasis on this aspect during free practice. We then increased all the sessions to racing configuration. This allowed Maverick to get used to riding a heavier motorcycle. He then worked on braking the bike during the first phase of the race with a full tank. This has become a normal procedure for him. »
A progression which also follows that, overall, of Yamaha. HAS Buriram, the Japanese firm placed three qualified drivers among the top four with Quartararo, Vinales et Morbidely, then two on the podium of the race with Quarterly et Casa Particular in Viñales.
« Already in 2018, we performed well in Thailand. We were curious about our performance on this track in 2019 ", said Meregalli. “ It has been demonstrated that we have made real progress in electronics and mass distribution for a few months now. The new Michelin tires also performed well in Buriram. This is not always the case with engine power. We have excellent handling, which helps us a lot on tracks like Buriram. We work hard, and the results prove us right. »
Significantly, this progression does not completely convince the 24-year-old pilot who continues to say that the Yamaha does not fundamentally correspond to his style which, according to his description, makes one think that he would flourish better on a Ducati...
