In a conversation with Aprilia's Maverick Vinales: Batmav talks strategy, setup, and MotoGP's future

In the final year of his contract with Aprilia in MotoGP, Maverick Vinales has become a focal point of market rumors. Despite a productive and satisfying tenure with the Noale manufacturer Aprilia, the rumour mills have been turning lately as the rider has produced some moments of magic in the ongoing season. We recently interacted with the Spaniard to learn about his strategy for the current season and what it's like being part of the Aprilia team.Edited excerpts.
Vinales’ latest win came in the American GP where he stormed from the 11th spot to the first. It was quite a race. On being asked what was his strategy for the race and what were the specific modifications to the bike that enhanced his performance, he said “The strategy of the race was basically to take the lead in the first corner and push. Unfortunately, I had a contact in the first corner, so when I dropped to P11, my only thought was to try to overtake a rider each lap. As soon as I reached first place, the goal was to set a good pace. So, basically, everything went perfectly. Regarding the setup, nothing was different compared to Portimão. We modified a little bit the balance, but as soon as we found a good balance in Portimão, we kept the same setup”.
“For this season, I concentrated a lot to be perfect in every session, especially to bring the maximum from the bike. That’s my main goal”.
“The new bike obviously has more acceleration, so basically I focused on being in a good position for acceleration, because right now we are very strong in this area. I needed to adapt myself a little bit on braking because it changed with the aerodynamics” he noted.
How do you assess your race performance compared to your expectations at the beginning of the season?
“I expected to win a race within the first four races, so my expectations were high. But I am the kind of person who doesn’t want to set too many expectations because you never know where the limit can be, but I don’t want to put limits on myself”.

What’s the feeling inside Aprilia camp like after Fabio Quartararo’s renewal with Yamaha? There was a strong interest in the Frenchman. How do you see it, what could this mean for the grid?
“I see it as a good sign for Aprilia. Obviously, if the riders are considering going to Aprilia it is because we are on a high level and have a good bike, so that’s a really positive. Also is a good sign that Aprilia has a lot of consideration for the current riders, including myself. Is a strong point for our team that the riders are looking for us”.
Starting in 2027, engine sizes will be reduced from the current 1000cc to 850cc. This change is driven by a focus on safety and efficiency, as smaller engines result in lower top speeds and enhanced safety measures. On being asked if this will make the sport less exciting for the riders, Vinales explained “I think it will add more excitement about technique on the bike. If you take out help to the riders the only thing you do is to increase the level of technique on the bike. This means that the riders that have a lot of talent will make a big difference. And this is positive for the show because then you’ll have more overtakes”.
What do you think about the newly announced regulations? How do you think it will impact the sport and the riders personally?
“It’s hard to say until we are not there. Obviously, everything is being done in terms of safety, show and trying to be more environmentally friendly”.