Despite ending the Qatar MotoGP test atop the timesheet and also only finishing four-tenths adrift at Sepang, Monster Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales has warned he still needs more edge grip to win races in 2019.

Yamaha has transformed the M1 from a machine that needed a shitload of luck to trouble the podium into something that is competitive everywhere but Vinales says he still needs that little extra.

“I felt really good on the bike. But still, if we want to battle for victory, we need a little bit more grip,” said Vinales, speaking at the track.

“The bike is great, the Yamaha chassis, as you know, has always been good. But now it’s time to work on the electronics a little bit, the power delivery. It’s a shame that we don’t have more tests.

“I tried a ten-lap run at the end. It was very cold for the medium tyres but anyway I rode quite well. A good rhythm and I could maybe push a little more. Anyway still there remains the acceleration, we have no grip on the edge and I think it’s very important that we improve for the race.”

Vinales had asked Yamaha for more stability under braking and he is not so worried about his top speed deficit.

“We improve quite a lot the deceleration side, so I can make the laptime. Even at turn one, if we lose 10kph, I can be there, fast, because I can make a lot of speed through the corner.

“In that area we improve a lot compare last year. On the acceleration side still we are a little bit back from our competitors so we need to keep going.”