Crutchlow replaces Vinales
Yamaha has formally parted ways with Maverick Vinales with immediate effect following the Spanish Motogp rider’s suspension earlier this month.
Vinales was suspended by Yamaha and withdrawn from the Austrian Grand Prix for deliberately trying to blow up his bike’s engine in the latter stages of the Styrian GP (above). Vinales later apologised publicly for his actions, blaming them on frustration at the situation he found himself in during the race and with Yamaha in general.
Having already elected to quit Yamaha at the end of 2021, one year earlier than his current contract period was due to expire as the relationship between both parties deteriorated across the campaign, Vinales has now officially raced his last grand prix for the Japanese manufacturer.
Yamaha had already decided Vinales would remain sidelined for this weekend’s British GP, but announced last week that it had parted ways effective immediately with the Spaniard. In a team statement, Yamaha claims the decision was mutual, stating: “Regretfully at the Styrian GP the race did not go well or end well and consequently after deep consideration by both parties, the mutual decision was reached that it would be better for both parties if we end the partnership earlier.”
This leaves Vinales a free agent for the rest of 2021, and Aprilia is pushing hard to get the nine-time Motogp race winner on one of its RS-GPS this season ahead of a full campaign with the Italian marque in 2022.
Vinales could well test the RS-GP by the end of August and be on the grid with Aprilia by the Aragon GP on 12 September. If this comes to pass, he will take over from Lorenzo Savadori, whom he will replace anyway in 2022.
At the British GP, Yamaha will run test rider Cal Crutchlow in Vinales’ place at the factory squad. Crutchlow was already due to race at Silverstone for Petronas SRT as he continued to stand in for the injured Franco Morbidelli. But Crutchlow – who retired from racing at the end of 2020 – will instead mark his unexpected homecoming by competing as a factory team rider for the first time since 2014, when he rode for Ducati.
Crutchlow’s place at SRT will be taken by fellow Brit Jake Dixon, who will make his Motogp debut at Silverstone. The former British Superbike star currently races for SRT in Moto2 and his surprise Motogp debut is being seen as a means for the team to assess whether Dixon is worthy of a full-time premier class spot with the squad next year.
It was unclear as Autosport went to press whether Crutchlow will remain in Vinales’ seat for the rest of the season. Though he is Yamaha’s designated replacement rider, he confirmed earlier this month his contract stipulates that he doesn’t have to accept any race offers if he doesn’t want to.