The Qatar GP kicks off the new MotoGP season this weekend after two days of testing at the same circuit. Maverick Viñales believes that no conclusions can be drawn from the test results, but nevertheless, he is excited about the opening round.
The Aprilia rider emphasized that he is better prepared than in 2023: ‘I have a lot of motivation and also I’m really curious to start the season. For sure it’s a different season than last year – we are more prepared. My crew chief [José] Manuel [Cazeaux] already knows the bike much more, so basically we know what we need’.
Viñales then added: ‘This race is always quite unusual because we all arrive very strong, so this result doesn’t mean the rest of the season, so we need to work really strong, but the work has been done in the test. I just want to put some good laps and see where we really are on a race weekend’.
Pleased with the feeling and performance during the tests in Losail, #12 also admitted that a GP is different: ‘The test is always a little bit different than the race weekend. Of course in a race weekend I think the grip will not be as good as in the test. But I left the test with a really good impression’.