Yesterday he was happy and satisfied, today he was disappointed and heartbroken. When something goes wrong, it takes very little to find out. All you have to do is look at Maverick Vinales’ face. He’s one of those drivers who barely keep his mood to himself.
Saturday at Portimao left a bad taste in the Yamaha rider’s mouth as he was forced to deal with eighth place, eight tenths from the lead. Maverick doesn’t feel like talking, also because he seems to have landed in a tunnel in which he doesn’t really see the way out.
“I don’t really know what to say,” he began. “We worked on the tires to make the right choice, but In the end, this Saturday was a disaster. I can’t improve during the race weekends. We were strong in the FP1s and FP2s. Then, today, you know how it went. I’m really sorry, but at this point I have to change my expectations. I’ve always been a driver with a winning mentality, but unfortunately it’s impossible to think of success in this situation. ”
Talking to Maverick seems like we’re trying to rub it in his face.
“I got on my bike today, I tried to push, but the M1 didn’t work. Ask Yamaha about the problems. In all honesty, I’m tired of repeating the same things over and over again. I don’t want to make excuses, but at some point speaking is useless, also because we don’t have the solutions we need. It’s not easy for me even when I try to stay calm and be positive. “
So are there any changes that need to be made in the team?
“I don’t know. In the last few races the number of people who worked with us has been reduced and people have been missing. First there was Patrick, the Ohlins technician who made an important contribution, and a Japanese engineer. I honestly don’t know what’s going to change in the future. Talk to Yamaha.”
Finally he talked about the tires.
“We’ll see what we have to do. The fact is, you go from one race to another on this bike, change tires and in the end you have a one-second difference. And all of this then affects your trust. “