Qatar MotoGP race winner Maverick Vinales squeezed into the top ten during Friday’s FP2 session ahead of an important qualifying day at the Dohaꦺ Grand Prix. 

The Spanish rider was﷽ once again impressive during his race runs which included a race simulation on the medium tyre. 

Quite a few riders tested the medium tyre dur💜ing Q2 before their qualifying runs, but while Vinales was able🧜 to hold consistent mid 1m 54s lap times, it’s not a tyre he believes will be used in the race, at least not for him. 

Asked if it was a tyre you can race, Vinales said: "No, I don't think so. I think the soft has 🌳much more potential than the medium. Much mo✅re.

“B♍ut we just didn't have the best performance on that today. Also in this track I have a good feeling, good grip, ꦛnot low grip, honestly." 

While it is unlikely many riders if any will race t🧸he medium as the temperature during FP2 is expected to be around 15 degrees less, last weekend’s winner acknowledged that it was still important to try it. 

Vinales said: "For me it was quite curious that with the medium, I could ride 1'54.4, 1'54.5 for a long run. And this was good, I'm quite happy about that b🤪ecause I know that when I put a soft on with the maximum p🥃erformance, I can ride very fast. 

"And this is good, this is really good, I'm quite happy. For s🧸ure the time attack didn't go as we expected. 

"We lost quite a lot of tenths, especiall✨y on the gas, but I think we know the problem and this is the most im💝portant. 

"We 🌼are calm, and we know our potential. We will try to make it to🍌morrow."

Although Vinales o⛄nly just squeezed into what should be automatic passage into Q2, the championship leader is feeling increasingly confident due to his ‘feeling with the front tyre’ being a big reason why. 

"Basically I felt an amazing feeling with the front tyre, and I still have that feeling. So I can turn the bi💧ke quite well, it turns easily, which is always nice," added tꦦhe 26 year-old.

"Then when I put my race pace I can ride quite fast, quite consistent, especially lap by lap. And this is something quite important, because you need to feel it during t🌟he weekend. 

"I said in FP4 I felt fantastic, and I think today I felt fantastic again. So I think we have a good opportunity, a good potential to fight for t🐲he race. 

"For sure anything can happen, maybe tomorrow something strange happens and nothin✃g works, but I think in the garage we are working well and the bike is in a good place."