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Factory Yamaha rider Maverick Viñales receives bad news after bad news in Valencia, now his data engineer has also tested positive at Covid-19.
It is not an easy time for Yamaha in Valencia. It was first announced that Yamaha was losing points in the constructors and teams championships because illegal valves were used at the Jerez GP. Then came the bad news for Maverick Viñales: regardless of his performance in qualifying tomorrow, he will be exiting the pit lane at the European GP on Sunday, five seconds after the lights go out. Because the official Yamaha rider didn’t finish the season with the five allowed engines and now he had to use a sixth engine.
“At Jerez they only recognized the problem after we had sealed the third engine. This was the biggest problem, otherwise I would have had three engines – another new engine, ”sighed the 25-year-old Spaniard. Instead, the useful life of the two remaining engines was extended, which is why the third part of the World Cup was no longer able to complete the desired laps in training in Aragon. In Valencia, Yamaha finally decided to use an additional engine and accept a hefty fine.
“We certainly did it in the best possible way, but we only had two engines for the whole season, so far. We then saw that one engine was slightly damaged. It is not safe to drive with the engine as I could leak oil on the track which in turn would put other riders at risk of falling. So we decided to use a new engine, safety first, “said Viñales. The Misano winner sees no advantage in this:” I have a new engine, but that doesn’t change anything because our speed is the same. this is not our problem, our problem is that we are no longer on the same level. After Misano we lost everything. We have no grip. It is very difficult to ride the bike. “
The mood is consequently: «You can imagine how I feel. Every year with mistakes we throw away the chance to fight for the title. My feeling is bad, ”admitted Viñales. “But at home I’m in a perfect situation, I have a perfect life. So I don’t want to get angry, I want to be happy. If we don’t have a chance this year, there is always the following year or the following year. I still have two years with Yamaha, we can do something great. ”
Did the Yamaha riders really know about the whole engine problem? “I didn’t know anything about it until the end,” Viñales said. “Yamaha definitely wanted to keep the riders out and not create confusion in the team, so I didn’t know anything. I think they succeeded in the best possible way. Sure it’s not the best weekend of my life, but it is. But maybe it’s raining and I can show an epic race, “he encouraged himself.
What does the 24-time GP winner still dare to do on Sunday? “I don’t know, I’m very open about this. Maybe I’ll take a special day, I feel great and I can be faster than anyone else. I don’t know, I don’t set limits, ”he admitted with emphatic confidence. “Let’s see if we can get something positive out of it. Our opponents can make mistakes, it can rain, give the red flag and then I start again on the grid. I don’t want to lose motivation. Of course we are sad because we are not in the same position as the others, but we will still try to do it right. As a team, we will try to work in the best possible way. The only problem I see is that our bike is difficult to overcome. Maybe I’ll have to risk a lot to overtake the riders. ”
But it’s not just the engines that are giving the Yamaha warehouse a headache, there should also be a positive Covid-19 test result from a close crew member from Viñales. This is supposed to be your data engineer. Does the third part of the World Cup already know what it means to him?
“I really don’t know,” said the Spaniard. “But you see my face, I’m not taking off my mask. I don’t want to be positive, first of all, because I have important people at home. I don’t want to infect my people or the team or the other riders. I will definitely try to take the utmost precautionary measures. I did a PCR test the morning after FP1. We will see what will come of it. What else should happen on a weekend? That I might have to go home. I really don’t know. ”
MotoGP Valencia, 6 November, combined times after FP2:
1. Miller, Ducati, 1: 32.528 min
2. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, +0.092 sec
3. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +0.276
4. Nakagami, Honda, +0.338
5. Pol Espargaró, KTM, +0.424
6. Rins, Suzuki, +0.629
7. Binder, KTM, +0.731
8. Dovizioso, Ducati, +0.764
9. Quartararo, Yamaha, +0.809
10. Mir, Suzuki, +0.877
11. Viñales, Yamaha, +0.882
12. Crutchlow, Honda, +0.935
13. Oliveira, KTM, + 0.955d
14. Bradl, Honda, +0.976
15. Bagnaia, Ducati, +0.987
16. Alex Marquez, Honda, +1,042
17. Zarco, Ducati, +1.211
18. Petrucci, Ducati, +1.247
19. Gerloff, Yamaha, +1.579
20. Savadori, Aprilia +3.133
21. Rabat, Ducati, +4.162
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