Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar) finished the Austrian GP in P6, just behind 2-time MotoGP™ world champion Marc Marquez. Viñales, who was the only man on non-Ducati machinery to have topped a session throughout the weekend, wasn’t able to quite stay with the podium fight and instead found himself fighting for the top five as the Ducatis and Yamahas proved to have that extra advantage over 28 laps – but still took home a good haul of points as the podium finisher continues to impress ahead of his move to Movistar Yamaha MotoGP to partner Valentino Rossi in 2017.
P6 first part of the race in the leading group ✊????! P6 primera parte de carrera en el grupo de cabeza ✊????! #MV #25gang pic.twitter.com/AnpGZZur3I
— Maverick Viñales (@maverickmack25) 14 August 2016
Maverick Viñales (P6): “We did more than half the race with the leading group and I really felt confident and comfortable, I tried to overtake for fifth place but I lacked in effectiveness on the straight so I couldn't succeed; it’s a pity because I could have maybe caught-up to fourth. In the second part of the race the problem became bigger so I settled for sixth. We will need to verify the data to better understand the tyre drop as the rear tyre looked very worn. I’m satisfied because when we had full performance from the grip we were very competitive, this wasn’t an easy track for us so we need to improve the overall performance if we want to be even more competitive, but being only 14 seconds from the winner in such a ‘stop-and-go’ track – and which is not the most suitable for us - it’s a positive result.”