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MotoGP, Vinales: “I’ve had the same problems for 3 years, it’s time to change”

“I tried to get more grip on the rear and didn’t succeed. It’s useless to waste time. I’ll focus on the front to brake like Ducati, Honda, and Suzuki.”

MotoGP: Vinales: “I’ve had the same problems for 3 years, it’s time to change”

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After Tuesday’s tests, Maverick Vinales seemed optimistic, but his mood changed today despite a 4th time in Misano, after the first two free practice sessions. Over the race weekend, the old, well-known problems came back to the fore.

 “Unfortunately we didn’t find anything in the tests,”  the Spanish rider said smiling. “When there’s grip, everything is easy for me, like what happened on Tuesday, while  nothing works anymore when it drops. Today, I used the new exhaust and swingarm, but tomorrow I’ll go back to the standard bike. I’ll try those parts again in Barcelona.

What can you do?

I’ve been trying to get more grip on the rear for three years, but I never found it, and it’s useless to waste any more time. So we’ll focus on the front of the bike to have more stability and try to solve our problems."

What did you understand today?

I tried to replicate the race conditions in the afternoon and, with a full tank, my times were nothing special.

Why?

With a full tank, I don’t have the same sensations as in the flying lap. In fact, I’m really far from having them.  The front wheel tends to lock up, the bike moves a lot, and I can’t ride smoothly. It means that we have to change something, try to be fast in another way.

So do you think the key is to focus on the front of the bike?

The lack of grip influences the front a lot. I can’t turn the bike anymore, I go wide. The fact is that, with the Yamaha, we brake using the rear a lot but, when there’s no grip, you can’t stop the bike doing so. Instead, Honda, Suzuki, and Ducati  use the front.  In the Moto3 and Moto2, I was a rider who braked as hard as possible, but now I have to brake beforehand. I have to be able to get back to my riding style.

 

Translated by Leila Myftija

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