The Yamaha driver wants to continue with Valentino Rossi as his partner for the next season.
Maverick Viñales announced almost by surprise that he was renewing with his current team. He did it at the presentation of the new Yamaha bike at the event in Madrid. Maverick has never doubted the project of the Japanese brand and has rejected to wait until seeing if the 2018 project is competitive to make its decision: “Yamaha and I share the same objectives. There is only one goal: try to win the title. They always have that in mind and for me that is a very important part. I also feel comfortable in the team, I feel very good with the technical team, with Yamaha and with Movistar, so there was no reason not to renew. In the end you take a weight off and focus on trying to achieve your goal in these three years we have left”, explained Maverick on the day of its renewal.
The doubt now rises in who will accompany Viñales these next three years. In 2018 he will share motorbike with Valentino Rossi, who finishes his contract at the end of this year. The Italian does not clear the mystery of his future and will decide once the season starts. A good performance of the Yamaha in this first section of the season would help the Italian to opt for the Yamaha project. Viñales is clear and wants him at his side: “I hope he renovates. In the end Valentino is a very important figure in our team, he makes you give 5% more. You always want to finish ahead of your teammate. Being ahead of Valentino means fighting to win in each race. That motivates me a lot and it’s one of the best things”, said Maverick.
Precisely the Spanish driver was ahead of Rossi, being the first Yamaha of the final classification. Viñales is happy about it but does not want to think in it: “To finish leader of Yamaha drivers in points was pretty, although we could not fight by the championship. But that means nothing.”
Maverick highlighted Marquez as the rival to beat, but also put in the bag of favourites Rossi, Pedrosa or the two Ducati.