MotoGP: Maverick Vinales was left ‘discouraged and disillusioned’ in final season at Yamaha, time with Aprilia ‘will come’

Maverick Vinales admits he was left ‘discouraged and disillusioned’ during his final season with Yamaha before securing an unlikely ride at Aprilia, which has since helped turn his MotoGP career around.
Maverick Vinales, Yamaha MotoGP Red Bull Ring, Austria 2021
Maverick Vinales, Yamaha MotoGP Red Bull Ring, Austria 2021

Throughoutಌ the 2021 MotoGP season it was becoming very apparent that the relationship between Vinales and Yamaha was fading. 

Negative comments were being made by Vinales, who didn’t feel he was getting the help necessary to be successful by Yamaha - a change of crew chief during the season added to the tension as his close friend Esteban Garcia was replaced by Silvano Galꦇbusera - before an incident at the Red Bull Ring left Yamaha with no other option than to terminate his contract. 

In the midst of a dreadful Austrian Grand Prix, Vinales was caught over🎃-revving his M1 in an attempt to damage the engine before returning tꦿo pit lane to retire from the race. 

Vinales was suspended and withdrawn from꧙ the Styrian 𝔉Grand Prix after the incident took place less than a week prior at the Austrian MotoGP. 

Issues in the relationship began to arise in 2018 when Vinales felt like he was being ‘forgotten’ about, and although a new two-year deal was signed in 2020, major cra♕cks began to show later that season and throughout 2021.

Vinales recently opened up about how the situation made him feel when speaking to : "What am I going to tell you... Of course I was discouraged and disillusioned. Of course I d🦩idn't feel like racing,ꦗ because when you come here and see that you have the ability to fight for the top positions and to try to fight for the title, and you do 10th or 12th... You lack that hunger. 

"But then🧸 after all those moments there comes a point where you always ask yourself the same question: "What are you passionate about?" And what I'm passionate about is racing a motorcycle. I am passionate about MotoGP and I am passionate about winning. 

"More than anything, 🐼I am passionate about winning. That's why I decided to continue, continue with Aprilia, and continue fighting for my dream, which is to be World Champion. 

"More than MotoGP or the paddock, what motivates me is the hunger to win. And I think that this is not lost,🍒 you are born with it."

In his attempts to become a MotoGP world champion one day, Vinales secured ⛦a move to Aprilia shortཧly after his split from Yamaha and despite early struggles getting accustomed to the RS-GP, the Spaniard reached a point midway through the 2022 campaign where podiums were being scored.

In fact, Vinales came very close to winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, only for 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Francesco Bagnaia to hold off the Apriܫlia man following a failed overtake on the penultimate lap. 

Vinales has repeatedl♔y said that the atmosphere aꦫt Aprilia is better than during time at Yamaha, which he confirmed once again. 

Maverick Vinales, Valencia MotoGP test, 8 November
Maverick Vinales, Valencia MotoGP test, 8 November

"The atmosphere has been around for a long time and Aprilia has a very good atmosphere🅰," added Vinales. "We kno🔴w that our time will come, that we are building it and that we are working. 

"You have to bꦿe patient; I am not one of those🐼 who have a lot of patience, but it is something that I have had to practice and I continue to do. 

"I know our time will come and the time will come where we win races, but iꦇt n🍰eeds work and a process, which is where we are right now."

Despite that, Vinales believes he is still lack🎃ing around 25% to be consistently fighting at the front.

Vinales was asked about his adaptation tಞo the bike and how far he is to being fully comfortable, to which he stated: "I still have a hard time. I would say 70 or 75%. It is very difficult for me on certain occasions to get the most out of what the bike has🗹. 

"It's something we need🦹 to work on and we'll work hard on for next year. I have the feeling that when we manage to get the most out of this bike, it has a lot of potential. 

"So that's our goal, to make ever🙈y weekend perform at📖 its best."

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