Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

KTM's biggest weakness exposed by Vinales contract drama

MotoGP
KTM's biggest weakness exposed by Vinales contract drama

How Silverstone has proved that bigger isn’t always better

Feature
National
How Silverstone has proved that bigger isn’t always better

IndyCar releases renderings of new chassis for 2028 regulation overhaul

IndyCar
IndyCar releases renderings of new chassis for 2028 regulation overhaul

Why the contentious regulations were a talking point again in BTCC's visit to Thruxton

Feature
BTCC
Thruxton
Why the contentious regulations were a talking point again in BTCC's visit to Thruxton

Ferrari and Peugeot start testing updated hypercars for WEC 2027

WEC
Ferrari and Peugeot start testing updated hypercars for WEC 2027

The qualities that separate Marquez from his MotoGP rivals

MotoGP
The qualities that separate Marquez from his MotoGP rivals

WEC updates 2026 calendar with Barcelona and Monza replacing Middle Eastern rounds

WEC
WEC updates 2026 calendar with Barcelona and Monza replacing Middle Eastern rounds

Rovanpera to conduct demo run at WRC Rally Finland

WRC
Rally Finland
Rovanpera to conduct demo run at WRC Rally Finland

Yamaha's Vinales to try different riding styles in MotoGP races

Maverick Vinales says he needs to adapt his riding style during MotoGP races as his preferred one is heavily compromised while riding in traffic

Vinales took pole position the opening round of the season in Qatar by two tenths of a second, but finished the race a lowly seventh after he was unable to recover from a poor start.

The Spaniard's Yamaha bike was considerably down on the top speed both Honda and Ducati were able to achieve during the weekend, which meant the majority of Vinales' time was found in the corners.

But Vinales explained that his pace advantage disappeared during the race because he was forced to take corners like his rivals ahead of him were.

"When I'm alone I can make the lap time, then when I am in the group it is really difficult, I have to ride completely different," said Vinales.

"I have to ride [a] different line and cannot be as fast as when I am alone.

"Riding behind the others I needed to be on stop-and-go lines as they are, [then] I stress the tyres a lot.

"My ideal line is to brake straight, to lean the bike and have good corner speed and be very kind with the tyres when I open the gas.

"When I am alone, I can do [that]. But with more riders battling, you have to close the line, you have to be with the other riders, so I need to ride completely different.

"I am going deeper on the brakes, attacking on the bike so I stress the front a lot and then I have to open full throttle really early and I start to struggle.

"For one lap I can go really fast because I can just go around the track and make a lot of speed and I trust the bike - I trust the front and I can do it.

"But now it is time to improve the braking area. We improved quite a lot, but not enough."

Vinales plans to simulate race conditions during practice in Argentina at the end of the month and adopt a style that can make him more competitive in races.

"I was using really different lines I was using the [rest of the] weekend so in Argentina it is very important to try to simulate the race lines, [when I will be] fighting with the others," he added.

"We know for one lap we are very fast, when we are alone with our own rhythm we can be there but now the next step is to improve when we battle."

Previous article MotoE reveals cause of fire that destroyed all its bikes at Jerez
Next article Honda MotoGP team 'obsessed' with top speed gains - Marc Marquez

Top Comments

Latest news