RiderTua.com – Maverick Vinales appeared to dominate at COTA Texas this weekend. The Aprilia factory rider managed to achieve pole position, victory from start to finish in the sprint race, and his position was never in danger.
After presenting the medal, Vinales said that he enjoyed this moment. He’s happy to be on the podium with Marc (Marquez) because they’ve both been in the championship for a long time and they still race today, especially in front of amazing fans in Texas.
Vinales frankly said that he was more happy with his qualifying session than winning the sprint race. “How did I manage it this time? I don’t know. It was magic. I was one with the bike today. I’m sure we can really do something extraordinary in the 2024 season, and not just here. I feel better than ever in my career,” added the Spaniard.
Maverick Vinales : Riding Based on Instinct!
Maverick Vinales reveals the reason he can ride the Aprilia GS GP completely based on instinct. “Everything felt very natural. I felt the limit. My motorbike showed exactly how hard I could push my motorbike. The Aprilia technicians and Michelin staff did a good job,” said Papa Nina.
This good result was realized after Vinales was very critical of his Aprilia’s handling during the Qatar test. “We can see what detailed work means. We worked on the set-up, especially on the weight distribution. I had a very strange crash in Sepang. But step by step we improved the quality of the bike so that today I can control it,” emphasized teammate Aleix Espargaro.
Vinales added that the clutch used to be a problem. But not today, the problem is solved. They also made good improvements to the rear chassis hardware. These are small steps, but overall they can make a big difference in an increasingly competitive environment. It makes a big difference mentally, knowing that you can actually brake better in Turn 1.
And of course the rider nicknamed Top Gun also contributes his role to the whole package. Visually, Vinales looks fitter than before. “I never felt stronger than in 2024. But the Aprilia was also better in Texas than in Portugal. In Portimao the rear was very strong, here the whole bike was strong. I don’t know why, but in Austin this was especially true for me, said Vinales.
Even though he managed to win the sprint race, Vinales understands that his rivals will definitely improve tomorrow (Sunday’s main race). According to him there are several riders who will get the best on this American track. “It will be a fierce battle tomorrow. It will be a long race. I have to manage my tires like I did today. When I was given the signal to go 1 “.7 seconds on the pitboard, I managed to take the lead so as not to put too much pressure on the rear, especially the tires. I hope to do it again tomorrow,” concluded Vinales.
If Vinales also wins Sunday’s race, he will become the first racer in the MotoGP era to win races with three different brands (Suzuki, Yamaha and Aprilia).
