The Saturday of the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas was almost perfect for Maverick Viñales. The rider not only won the Sprint race, but also took pole position with a new record lap in Austin.
The Aprilia man spoke of a magical lap that he can’t explain how he did, emphasizing his belief in a strong and consistent season:
– I’m just enjoying this moment, which is fantastic. For me, more than the Sprint, I enjoyed the qualifying; I don’t know how I did this lap, I don’t know. I just did something magical with the bike today, and that is impressive. I was really happy, obviously. I am really convinced that we can do a fantastic job this year – not only here, throughout the year.
Viñales emphasized that he feels at his best ever, but also recognized that the opponents will be strong: ‘I feel better than ever obviously. A little better than in Portimão; in Portimão I was already very strong, but on this track I always have something special with it that I am a bit stronger than on other tracks. However, it’s not just me; there are several riders who are also very strong, so tomorrow will be a big fight‘.
Questioned about whether he feels like in the best phases of his career, the Spaniard replied: ‘No, now I am at a totally different level. I wish I felt like this a few years ago, because I have the experience. Physically I feel so strong, this is the year where I feel strongest physically speaking. It’s obvious that I work hard for this and I simply feel that the experience, strength, and technique I have on the bike are coming together and producing these results. So, that’s fantastic. I can always see and it always repeats. I never give up, because hard work pays off‘.
