Pole sitter Maverick Vinales admitted that his target for tomorrow is a top seven finish, despite securing his first MotoGP pole position of 2018 at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.

The Spaniard became the second rider to come through Q1 to go on and take pole position. Despite claiming pole, Vinales said that with the weather concerns tomorrow, his target is a lot lower than many would expect.

“I just need to be able to make the target. Our target is to be in the top seven, so I will try my best,” said the 23-year-old.

“To be in the top seven would be great. In the practices we have never been so strong in the wet. We have a lot to improve for tomorrow so let see.

“I’ve never started from the front on a rain race so lets see if we can improve following the top riders.”

Vinales was promoted to start from pole in Circuit of the Americas, but it’s his first outright pole position since Aragon 2017. Vinales took pride for the pole position due to the fact it was previously one of his worst circuits.

“It comes at the right time, honestly, in Phillip Island I was pushing so hard even though it was raining I was trying to get on the pole, but I lost it by a couple of tenths,” he said.

“But here I try my best. Luckily in Q1 I could improve a little bit the bike, after in Q2 I just gave my best. Being here on pole today is really special because last year it was one of my worst tracks of the calendar.

“Already today I could ride at my best, I feel great and tomorrow I will try my best tomorrow in the race.

“I just want to say thank you to the team, in just ten minutes they changed all the bike, they were so fast, faster than me on the track, so congratulates to the team also, as they worked really good today.”