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MotoGP, Viñales: Yesterday a disaster, today the podium

"With better qualifiers I could have battled for the win. I was able to make the Suzuki mine"

Viñales: Yesterday a disaster, today the podium

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It seems that Yamaha had the right idea betting on Maverick Viñales. We knew that the Spaniard had plenty of raw talent, but this year he added maturity to his speed, which means consistency in results and the skills to managed complicated situations.

Like today at Phillip Island, after starting from the 13th spot on the grid, he finished on the podium, doing only slightly less than his next teammate, Valentino Rossi.  

After a disastrous weekend, I can only be pleased. I even managed to fall going into the garage - he says, laughing - This podium is worth a win for me. I even decided on the hard from tyre at the last second, on the grid, and I applied a good strategy.

Maverick was calm - so to speak - in the first laps.

I found confidence and then I pushed. I had fun and I overtook two riders per lap - he continues - My plan was to be fast in the last part of the race and that is what I did; I lapped a half second faster than Aleix and Dovi.

The gap behind the first two, however, was too wide at that point.

If I had done better in qualifying, today I would have been able to battle for the win - he shows his disappointment - Last year on this track I had a great duel with Cal, but today he was too fast. Maybe it will happen at Sepang.

This is not the only challenge to on his mind. The third place in the overall standings that Lorenzo occupies is just 11 points away.

Jorge is close and I will try to catch him, but for the second place spot it is very difficult, especially because Valentino is very fast in both Malaysia and Valencia”, he analyses.

After this kind of growth, it is almost a pity that Viñales is leaving Suzuki.

“Right now I am able to ride the GSX-RR the way I want; I have made it mine, but I don’t see why I wouldn’t be able to do the same thing with the Yamaha”, he ensures.

Translated by Jonathan Blosser
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