MotoGP: Electronics aid Viñales’ fight back

Maverick Viñales’ fight back to the podium at yesterday’s British Grand Prix was the result of significant improvements made to his Movistar Yamaha’s electronics at last week’s private test at Misano, according to the Spaniard after Sunday’s race.

Running for most of the race in the leading group, he was able to put a move on teammate Valentino Rossi in the closing stages of Sunday’s race to come home second and to secure his best result in six races in what he says could well be a decisive race for his championship hopes.

“It was difficult, but I think we managed the race really well, especially with the electronics, we were really strong in all the areas. I think we did a good job. This weekend we came back, feeling strong again and that’s the positive point, especially during the last part of the race, during which we weren’t really strong before.

This time we were the fastest on the last laps, so we are going to try to be more competitive and even stronger in the next races. I knew that on the last laps my bike was really good, so I was just trying to keep the pace and the concentration and save the tyres until the end. For sure, I was able to do really good laps in the beginning, but then the tyre would have dropped a lot, so I was thinking about doing the other step: go slowly in the beginning and pushing at the end and this was the result.”

In fact, so pleased was he with his pace in the race, he admitted afterwards that he wasn’t even disappointed on losing out on the chance to take the fight to race winner Andrea Dovizioso in the final corners of the race.

“I was catching Dovi on the last lap and trying my best. I set one of my best laps on the last one, so I gave it everything to catch him, but honestly, today, second place was the best we could do. We have to be happy that we’re working in the correct way again.”