Maverick Vinalesa experienced a new chapter of his ups and downs in Motegi: in qualifying he achieved an excellent front row, which required a good result in the race. However, in the Sprint a problem with the front height device caused him to lose many positions at the start.
“I started well, but the front height device did not release at the first braking,” explained the Aprilia rider, referring to the system that is used only at the start to lower the front and prevent the wheel from lifting at the start of the race .
An Aprilia spokesperson explained to Motorsport.com that the system did not malfunction, but simply needed heavy braking at the first corner to disengage and allow the bike to return to its standard height. So all the systems are activated, but without that braking the bike remained lowered.
Pedro Acosta, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, Maverick Vinales, Aprilia Racing Team, form the first race row in Japan
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
With this problem, Vinales’ race started to get complicated from the start: “The truth is that the start was good, but since the lowering device hadn’t been released, at the second corner I almost took the bike by hat! With the bike lowered in front, some systems, such as the anti-wheelie, do not work.”
Thus, in the first corners the Aprilia rider struggled until he managed to stabilize the bike and find his rhythm. But by then he was already 11th, having lost eight positions and any option to fight for the podium. However, the rider from Roses believes that this possibility would not have been so concrete despite starting well, given that Pedro Acosta dictated an infernal pace that was only kept by Bagnaia: “I didn’t even have the pace to stay with the riders in front, maybe in the group with Franco Morbidelli (for fifth position, ed.)”.
On Sunday, Vinales will have a new opportunity in the long race at Motegi. There, he will start from the front row again and try to unclip the height device well. Thus, he will try to stay in contact with the leading riders on the first lap, and for this reason he hopes that the medium tire can help him in this endeavor.
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