Maverick is top gun again, at last
• Yamaha man hits back at critics as race win drags him back into title contention
Afirst MotoGP victory in 11 months shutdown the harsh critics of Maverick Viñales who’d recently dismissed him as a serious MotoGP title contender in 2020.
Viñales moved to within a point of the series lead after pouncing on a Pecco Bagnaia blunder to win for the first time since the Sepang clash in Malaysia last October. It was the perfect response from Viñales, who was lambasted for a slump from pole to sixth at Misano the previous weekend.
The Yamaha rider is clearly blessed with blindingly fast speed over one lap on soft tyres, having taken three poles in the last four races and two other front row starts this season. Yet he’s faced accusations that he chokes on race day and struggles to be fast on a full fuel tank with new tyres.
Now Vinñales has silenced the doubters with an easy win after Bagnaia blew a 1.1s lead with a turn six crash with six laps remaining.
Widely criticised for being the last Yamaha across the line in Misano 1, Viñales went on the offensive before Sunday’s triumph and blamed a Yamaha technician’s flawed advice on tyre choice for his flop in the first Misano mêlée.
And having watched Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli win for Yamaha in 2020, it was a mix of elation and relief at ending his barren run.
The 25-year-old said: “Nobody believes more in my potential than I do myself. I know what I am capable and I never give up. I have had difficulties and both myself and the team have made mistakes. I have a winning mentality and it is not easy when things happen that stop you showing what you know you are capable of.”
A first podium in five races suddenly thrust him firmly back into title contention and he said staying at the front for the remainder of the season was a minimum requirement because of his factory rider status.
He added: “This is the kind of race you have to make when you are a factory Yamaha rider. You have to win and show your potential. I don’t expect to be fighting for the win at every race, but I need to be there in the fight at the front.”
Viñales was also quick to downplay prospects that he can return Yamaha to MotoGP glory for the first time since Jorge Lorenzo’s triumph in 2015.
He said: “I’m not thinking too much about the championship. I’m just concentrating now on pushing the bike at the maximum and nothing else.”