MotoGP Mandalika Test: Vinales ‘dream to win with three manufacturers’

Maverick Viñales enjoyed fruitful pre-season testing with Aprilia as he continues to get to grips with the RS-GP.

Having run in the top five at Sepang, Viñales concluded three days in Indonesia eighth in the combined times, less than half a second adrift of Pol Espargaro’s 1’31.0 target and narrowly ahead of eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez.

The former Yamaha star has been openly confident of his potential with the Aprilia since moving from the M1 midway through 2021, a sentiment he continued to share from Mandalika despite concerns over track conditions and a degrading surface.

“It was good,” Vinales said of his progress at the new circuit. “We understand many things. Those three days were very positive for us because even of the struggle, was very important to be on a track when the grip is very low, to see how the bike was working.

“I can feel I’m much better on the race rhythm than one lap, especially because I just put one tyre and I didn’t finish my second lap but I feel the way we are working is quite correct. Step by step I’m feeling better with the bike, still we need to understand, we need laps. I need also racing days, like racing weekends to see the procedure, how to work, especially when the bike is working just 40 minute sessions but I feel good with the bike.

“I feel optimistic because even if my feeling is not perfect, we are able to be inside the top five, especially on rhythm, so quite good. Honestly, I felt quite optimistic and also quite confident that we’re going to find a better bike.

“For me will be a dream to win with three different manufacturers because I think I will be the only one in history to do it,” he confirmed of his goals with the new team. “Also to bring Aprilia on the top is one