Maverick Viñales topped his stellar weekend at Assen off with a second place in the Dutch GP after Monster Yamaha teammate Fabio Quartararo took the win.
Despite his repeated session-topping form in the Netherlands, however, the Spaniard remained frustrated with his current situation, with multiple comments regarding the difficulties faced and the lack of understanding or direction in the box.
“Our bike is so complicated to overtake,” Viñales said from the post-race press conference.
“I just found myself behind Nakagami, impossible. I don't know what more to do, outside, inside, I couldn’t find a way to overtake until he lose the traction. As soon as he lose the traction, for me was easy to overtake back and then I tried to put in a good rhythm. For sure I destroy the tyres a lot behind them, because sometimes you overheat the tyre but I understand really well that when I get stuck there and I see Fabio first, this race was going to be very difficult. However, the end of the race we were fast, this is the most important, we've been on the podium, and so I’m happy.
“I'm not disappointed because I don't win, I'm disappointed because I'm not able to take on all my potential,” he continued.
"That's why I'm disappointed and that's why I was very upset in Sachsenring - because somehow there, I'm not able to push at the maximum and technically there is many mistakes, and I'm not able to give the maximum. Basically, in Assen I know the track, I know I can be fast so what I do is just I don't touch the bike. Just keep riding, try to take out the maximum from what I have, and I was scared to even touch one click. We were maybe able to be more fast even, but I didn't want to take that risk, so second is good, I'm happy.
“We have many issues that will just stay with me because I don't want to give any excuse. Today Fabio was very fast. On the start he just got close so I need to close the gas, this makes me go fourth and then everything was more complicated but this is racing. One time can happen to one rider, next time can happen to another, is racing. Just I wasn't able to overtake Taka, so I think this is the real problem of the race, because if in one/two laps I could overtake, then was a totally different race.”
Assen race day began with the circulation of rumours regarding the Spaniard’s imminent break with Yamaha and his move to Aprilia for 2022. Vinales was quick to shut them down, however, his later comments confirmed that he remains unhappy with the current situation and that things cannot continue as they have been, for much longer.
“For sure I have something to say. I read one tweet, from one guy, that's all, he's totally wrong,” he stated simply.
“I don’t know what to say, honestly. They are not true for sure. One thing is clear, is that here, I cannot take on the maximum so I need to find my line. Sometimes it is difficult, and I need to find something that gives me the opportunity to give the maximum every lap, every race, every track.
“It's difficult to have benefit from one situation like this, I just get difficulties. Somehow I start to feel that when I come to a race, starts to be a nightmare. I have, for three years, the same comments - I can take the notes and is exactly the same comments, three years in a row.
"I just want to take out the maximum. I just want to come racing to really race, and give everything I have. Right now it's difficult. When I come racing I just say, what problem am I going to have this race, and this is a problem. I just want to come here, give the maximum and see where we are. For sure in Sachsenring I wanted to go home on Friday already, because was a desperate weekend, where I explained well, I explained everything, but we were not able to improve. Here, thank god I had grip, the track is good, the track adapts a little more to the bike so I can be fast but I am far from my full potential. The only thing I want to take out is my full potential.
“I have a really good relationship with Yamaha Japan. I think they are great,” he continued.
"They have put in a lot of enthusiasm and encouragement. When they signed me again in 2020, I was pretty like 'what?', because I couldn't give my maximum but I tell the team that I was not giving up. I don't know why I was not able, and they sign me again for two more years and with the podium now, I don't understand why. In those days I didn't expect nothing from anyone. I just expected everything from me. I have a lot of respect for Yamaha, and I appreciate a lot because they involve a lot of time in myself and for sure we make good results. I don't know why I was not able to be more fast and more consistent. Overall I’m just thinking of myself, and the only thing and the only words I can say to Yamaha is thank you for the opportunities, I think they are always great, always happy, always with a smile for me and this is the most important.
"I'm more disappointed on the technical side, not about the human. Human is not bad. I don't have to say nothing, but technically yes, for sure I have to say. And I have to say in the previous years. 2018 also was difficult, 19 somehow we found a way, but then in 20 again, we change everything, we change the bike and we start to lose the way again. Honestly on the human side I'm happy, I have to say that I appreciate a lot the guys in Yamaha and this is the important thing at the end. But as I said before, Germany was very painful, honestly, was most hard to swallow that result, very hard.”
With Viñales confirming his appreciation of the Japanese organisation while describing his frustration with the current technical situation and day-to-day life in the box, would a move to Petronas be a solution to his two-year contract? Or is a clean break on the cards after all? Only time, and maybe the summer break, will tell.
