Maverick Vinales’ Bold Move: Aiming for Historic Wins with Four Different MotoGP Manufacturers

Maverick Vinales: "It's a risk – I have a chance to be the first to triumph on four different bikes."

"I believe I've achieved my goal with Aprilia by securing wins, so my mission there is complete."

Maverick Vinales believes that his current Aprilia team has the best chance to compete with Ducati in MotoGP, but he thinks that transferring to KTM offers him the greatest opportunity to secure championships.

Earlier this year, Vinales revealed his decision to join Tech3 KTM, a move that came as a shock to many given his first-ever win with Aprilia at the Americas Grand Prix in April.

The victory in Texas marked Vinales as the first rider since Loris Capirossi to achieve wins in the premier class with three distinct manufacturers (Suzuki, Yamaha, and Aprilia). Securing a win with KTM would set the #12 apart as uniquely accomplished.

Vinales expressed his ambition to MotoGP.com before the Austrian Grand Prix, stating, "I believe I have the chance to be the first ever to win with four different bikes. Clearly, it's a great goal."

Vinales mentioned that his choice to relocate was driven by his intuition. “What I did is a risk, but I trust myself and my gut tells me to pursue it. I am not afraid.”

Vinales explained that his decision to leave was influenced not only by his instincts but also by his triumph in the GP race in Texas and his Sprint race victories in Texas and Portugal.

"I believe that by winning, I've achieved everything I aimed for with Aprilia," Vinales stated. "Therefore, I feel completely free to leave."

The 2013 Moto3 World Champion clarified that it wasn't just the victories that influenced his decision to leave; it was more about his struggle to consistently perform at the same high level that led to those wins.

"There always seems to be something preventing me from performing like I did in Austin," he remarked. "I need to figure out what that is, and that's what drives me. Essentially, my decision to switch to Tech3 KTM was rooted in this."

Looking back on his experience with Aprilia, Vinales voiced his appreciation to the Noale-based company for giving him an opportunity after he was let go by Yamaha halfway through 2021.

"I am immensely thankful for the chance Aprilia has provided me," he expressed. "I'm truly delighted. I assure them daily that I will put forth my utmost effort and strive to significantly assist them in the latter half of the season to develop an excellent bike for the next season. I am entirely sincere in my commitment and I will follow through."

“Additionally, I aim for strong performance, and I believe Aprilia is supportive of me in this endeavor to collaborate closely.”

However, there was also bewilderment regarding the duration it took for him to reach the pinnacle with the RS-GP.

"I couldn't figure out why it took me so long to succeed with Aprilia," he remarked. "In 2022, the bike performed exceptionally well, and Aleix Espargaro had an outstanding season, but I couldn't achieve the same results, and I am unsure of the reason."

"In 2023, we brought Manuel Cazeaux, Vinales' crew chief, on board. We discovered certain aspects of the bike setup that clashed with my riding style, causing significant difficulties. After making adjustments to address these issues, our performance improved significantly."

Vinales conceded that remaining with Aprilia could have been a simpler choice compared to the decision he ultimately made.

"To continue achieving positive outcomes, it might have been simpler to remain with Aprilia. I considered that option because I am familiar with the bike and the team, and I know I can perform well."

Nevertheless, the Spanish rider believes that KTM gives him a stronger chance to compete for a championship.

"For me," he explained, "finishing fifth or seventh in the championship doesn't make a difference. I aim to be at the front, and whether that's possible with KTM, I can't say for sure."

Vinales has 10 more races left with Aprilia and is aiming to regain the performance level that led him to victory in Austin last April.

"We need to figure out why only Ducati, among the European manufacturers, made significant progress while we couldn't," Vinales remarked. "I'm really eager to see if we can narrow that gap in the second half of the season and compete like we did at the start. We began the season very strong, and I believe we have the capability and potential to do it again."

Vinales explained that the key difference between Aprilia and Ducati lies in their race pace. According to him, Ducati's advantage is not in sheer speed but in maintaining a consistent pace throughout the race.

"The main distinction, in my opinion, is consistency. Ducati riders can maintain excellent lap times consistently, particularly during races, whereas we struggle in the latter half of the race."

Despite his departure from the Noale factory, Vinales believes that Aprilia is the sole brand capable of competing with Ducati. The Spanish rider remains focused on securing a top-three finish in the championship.

"If we remain resilient and collaborate effectively, we will challenge them significantly. That's our goal, and I believe we are uniquely positioned to achieve it."

"It's important to remember that we are currently in the top five of the championship, and finishing in the top three would be incredible. I might be dreaming a bit too much since I have to compete against some major contenders, but it would be amazing."

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