The Spanish rider joined Aprilia from last year’s Aragon Grand Prix after prematurely terminating his relationship with Yamaha following a controversial Styrian GP, after which it was discovered that he was certain he was deliberately damaging the engine of his M1.
Using the final races of 2021 as tests ahead of his full-time debut with Aprilia this year, Vinales began to show very interesting potential in last weekend’s Sepang test, in which he finished with the fifth absolute time, favored, however, by having also lapped in the shakedown reserved for testers and rookies (Aprilia still enjoys concessions).
However, Vinales admitted that the adaptation to the RS-GP is taking longer than expected and is unsure that it will be finally completed in time for the start of the championship, scheduled for March 6 in Qatar.
“It’s always hard to say because there are six riders in one tenth,” he said last weekend. “I am still adapting to the bike, but on the other side I also have to push. I am among the six riders who have fallen below the track record. Even if I am adapting, I have to bring out the best of the bike.”
“I hope to be ready in Qatar, but if not, I think at the most I will be ready in Jerez. It is taking a lot longer than expected. I expected to adapt better once I get on the bike. But that’s not the case, I have to. get used to the engine “.
Maverick Vinales, Aprilia Racing Team
Photo by: MotoGP
Vinales added that he has not yet found the right areas to force into during the time attack, but that his feeling on the RS-GP has nothing to do with the bike itself, which instead seems to have been born very well.
During last weekend’s Sepang test, Motorsport.com revealed that Aprilia has formed a new working group around Vinales, which includes a sports psychologist and former Fernando Alonso coach Fabrizio Maganzi.
Commenting on this change, Vinales said: “Basically, with Aprilia we would like to build a good team, also on the mental side. And to prepare for the weekend, to be ready. It’s about building a good team around me and continuing to believe in it. “.
“It looks like it’s starting to work and that’s a good thing. In the end we need to see the impact on the race weekends, but now I’m fast, I have a lot of confidence and I had a lot of fun on the track,” he concluded.
#Vinales #adaptation #Aprilia #longer #expected