RiderTua.com – Even though Ducati dominated MotoGP at the start of the 2024 season, Maverick Vinales and Aprilia were able to compete with very impressive results. After winning the sprint at Portimao, the Spanish rider managed to make a clean sweep by winning pole position, victory in the sprint and the main race at COTA.
Vinales, who left Yamaha after being fired at the Styrian GP, is now arguably in the best performance of his career. However, this incident could provide a very different picture, if Maverick Vinales retires. A question that was asked of him at the Spanish GP last weekend. He said that when that happens, it’s hard to find a reason to continue. He won many races. He was lucky in terms of wealth, he was doing well at that time, he said.
Maverick Vinales: Even though there are good offers, I want to stay at Aprilia
The rider nicknamed Top Gun continued that the only thing that keeps him coming to this paddock is winning. He always had the feeling and motivation that if he worked hard, he could maximize his talents on any bike. “In the end, we succeeded! I had suspected before that I had a chance. But I never took advantage of it until now,” explained Vinales.
Not only has Vinales’ consistency improved since joining Aprilia, the 29 year old rider also looks much happier. When he was asked what changed while working at Aprilia?
Vinales answered, “It started from Qatar last year. It took time with the technicians and my data technicians from last year. Valencia was the confirmation. I achieved pole and the lap record. But in Malaysia? A new bike and I’m struggling. I can’t believe it. In Qatar we could have competed for victory but I didn’t feel comfortable on the bike.”
In Portimao Vinales forced himself to ride the bike when he felt very uncomfortable. Since then, it has always been ahead. Experience helps him. His first years with Suzuki when the bike was still completely new, he developed the bike without any experience. So that helps. He knows what the bike needs. Vinales knows he is sensitive to what goes well or not, and that is good for the manufacturer, he added.
In relation to this season, does Vinales believe he can challenge for the title? Finishing in the top 5 consistently is a big target and according to him it can get him closer to achieving that result.
Vinales explained that now he knows the key is that the motorbike must be fast. There will be paths where the rivals are much stronger. The target is to enter the top 5 every weekend. he thinks it will be a race where he can win. The other one is P5 not P9. That’s Vinales’ mentality, he said.
Like most riders this season, Vinales’ contract will expire at the end of the 2024 season. However, because Aleix Espargaro‘s future is still unclear, Aprilia should not ‘lock up’ Vinales considering his performance and age.
Vinales wants to stay with Aprilia, although he admits there are good options in other teams. According to him, although there are options. There are good projects. Currently he is focused on this year’s race with Aprilia. Every race he goes to like Austin or Portimao, he is stronger in negotiating with the boss. He wasn’t worried about his future. Vinales wants to look for performance, concluded the rider who managed to break the record as a racer in the MotoGP era who managed to win with 3 different manufacturers (Suzuki, Yamaha and Aprilia).
