It had to be Assen, didn’t it? One year on from Maverick Viñales’ (Aprilia Racing) final podium with Yamaha, Top Gun’s emotions couldn’t have been more opposing at the 2022 Motul TT Assen when he claimed his maiden rostrum with Aprilia.
Viñales and Yamaha’s relationship ended prematurely in 2021 but soon after, the Spaniard found a new home at the Noale factory. It was a change that was clearly needed. And it was a change that was always going to see Viñales take time to adapt to a completely different motorcycle, but – especially in Germany and of course Assen – we're now seeing the number 12 do what we know he can do: challenge for podiums and more on a weekly basis.
The reaction to the mechanical issue at the Sachsenring, while Viñales was sat in fourth stalking teammate Aleix Espargaro in third, painted an important picture. A first podium with his new team was there for the taking, and through no fault of his own, a rostrum went astray. But when pulling into pitlane, Viñales gave his RS-GP a couple of gentle pats, fist-bumped his whole team and calmly sat back down in the garage. Those few seconds demonstrated to everyone that we were witnessing a new, happy Viñales.
Seven days later, that same Viñales went in hunt of a first podium at a favoured stomping ground of his: The Cathedral of Speed. He’s stood on the podium there in our last four visits now. But the task was difficult coming from P11 because Saturday afternoons on a fresh soft rear tyre is one area Viñales is still missing those vital few tenths.
But, after a stellar start and aided by Fabio Quartararo’s (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) incident with Aleix Espargaro, Viñales was soon chasing down third place Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and eventually got the better of his countryman to finish third, just 1.2s shy of winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).
And those contrasting emotions we spoke about earlier. A jubilant Viñales was what we saw in parc ferme, something we couldn’t say 12 months ago. His quote after the race says it all, “I’m the happiest man in the world”. It also speaks volumes that Espargaro came to celebrate with his compatriot at the end of the race – teamwork is making the dream work in the Noale camp this year, and Espargaro knows that Viñales can be the perfect wingman in his title chase between Silverstone and Valencia.
“It has been a very tough race, but I enjoyed a lot. We came from Sachsenring where we thought we could fight for the podium, so we keep the motivation,” said Viñales, speaking after his third place finish.
“We keep the momentum. I knew after the warm up I could be able to be in the front, but I never expected to recover places so fast on the first lap. What I can say is just thank you to Aprilia, they are working fantastic. They believe in me every day. We are achieving step by step the results, I know our potential is very high.
“A lot happened, but right now I’m the happiest man in the world. I can’t ask for anything more. I have a very competitive bike, a very good group, completely nice factory that Aprilia is behind myself pushing me every day. I have a beautiful family. So, I can’t ask for me. I have everything I always dream about,” continued Viñales.
“I’m ready to push. I’m ready to go in the top. I will push every day very hard. I will make myself even stronger. It’s not easy because right now the competition in MotoGP is very strong. I know what I’m able to do, so I will push, push, and push and see where I find myself in the last race of the year.”
Throughout the year, Viñales has remained bullish in his interviews about how he and Aprilia need to keep on working and keep pushing. Results were coming, now they’ve arrived. But what does he put his Assen podium down to?
“It’s a consequence of the hard work and don’t give up every day. The thing that we know, many races I was very strong. Austin I was very strong, but I started in 15th place and I could not make it on the race. Mugello we were coming very strong, Montmelo, Sachsenring. I just somehow feel that my potential is to be in the front, but I need to improve the qualifying.
“We need to improve the qualifying. These two last races, I did an amazing first lap and I’m quickly on the front. Somehow I feel my potential can be much higher if I start on the front or second row. Our main objective in the second part of the season is to improve the qualifying. On the rhythm, we are quite strong. That’s the only key. Trying to start in the front and then I can manage better the tire. I’m ready.”
Qualifying remains the problem area. Extracting every ounce of performance from a soft tyre in a 15-minute session on Saturday can make or break a weekend. Not having to pray for a lightning start from the fourth row or lower will make podium challenges a lot easier for Viñales, and it’s something he’s all too aware of heading into the final nine races of 2022.
“Actually, answering the first question, when I go to the qualifying, somehow I’m not able to take out the maximum from the bike. Especially when I have new rear tires, the bike pushes the front. I am not able to close with the corner so I am very slow in the middle of the corner and I lose the lap time. I can be able less or more to do the same lap time with used and new tires, which is good.
From 11th to 3rd! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) June 26, 2022
Exactly one year on from his last podium, Maverick finally has his first with Aprilia! ????#DutchGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/58e2BM6OR1
“It’s a good sign, because we are strong in the race, but we need to somehow set up the bike to make one lap also. Of course, if on the second part of the season I become stronger, we become better, and Aleix is very close to the championship, we need to think on Aprilia. We need to think on the group.
“If I have the occasion that one race I’m faster than Aleix, but it’s important that Aleix finish in front of me for the championship, at the end I’m working for Aprilia. I will try to help Aleix. We are working good together since Mugello. We found a way to work together and make us stronger, so that’s clear. If Aleix has the chance to the championship and I need to make him pass, I will do. At the end, we are working or Aprilia, for Piaggio group. If Aleix has the chance, I will help him for sure.”
Next up for Viñales: a trip to Silverstone, the scene of his first premier class victory. Will we see the rejuvenated Viñales in parc ferme at the British GP?