Despite finishing the German GP with a flourish of pace this afternoon, Yamaha’s frustrated and disheartened Maverick Viñales met the Sachsenring flag stone last.
Having struggled with his YZR-M1 throughout the weekend - a somewhat unexpected situation after his test-topping performance at Montmeló less than a fortnight ago - the Spaniard was just as confused after the 30-lap race concluded.
“I don‘t really know what happened with the bike at the beginning,” he admitted.
“I had a highside going into the corner, I looked to see if the tyre was flat or not, because I didn‘t understand what happened but then I did two or three good laps - ’22-highs and ’23-lows on my dashboard.
“After that I got stuck behind the Ducatis, and it was impossible to pass them. I didn‘t know what more I could do, and that was it, my race was over. I had a good rhythm but couldn‘t do more than this.
“I had like 15 laps behind Marini and Bastianini. I just could not pass, was impossible with this bike. I prepared everywhere, downhill, everything - they have more power, they brake later. I’m sorry but at this moment is impossible.
“When I arrived to Franco, I could overtake quite good, just in the first try I overtook, but with another Yamaha is much easier but with the others is so hard. Basically when I spent the laps there, I saw that maybe my position was 14th so I say ‘Okay, I go back, I take fresh air and I look to collect data and see how the bike is working alone’.
“We made ’22’s at the end of the race, which is not bad, while behind them I was doing ’23.5! There’s a big difference. Overall I don’t know. Nobody has the answer of what is going on here.
“I have the same question as you so I cannot answer - nobody answer to me, so I cannot answer it to you,” he said frankly before continuing.
“What is going to happen is very, very difficult to say. For Assen I will do the same as I’m doing here, try to work, collect data - right now my job is to collect data, it’s sad but it’s like this. I cannot do much more. I’m sorry,” he concluded dejectedly.
