The MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix witnessed a display of great quality from Maverick Viñales. The Aprilia rider won the Sprint race in Portimão and came very close to finishing second in the main race – ending up in the back due to bike problems.
Nevertheless, the Spaniard left Portugal very pleased. There is now a three-week break until the Americas GP, which Viñales said is beneficial for the team:
– I think those three weeks are fantastic for the guys, to look at the data. To really understand why… well, we know why this weekend we were fast, but the most important thing is that we try to get the setting and we are inside these numbers in every track, no matter of the conditions. I think we did an amazing step compared to Qatar and also compared to the test, because I felt very different.
Despite the outcome, Viñales was very pleased and encouraged by the performance in Portimão: ‘It was good to really understand the numbers. We need to be inside some numbers to be able to be that fast. There isn’t so much to add. I really want to say to Aprilia that this must be an encoragement for the next races. Of course the upcoming events are fantastic, especially for me. We need to be happy and we need to be really proud of what we did this weekend’.