MotoGP: Is Viñales The New "Golden Boy"?

He is calm, has very clear ideas, and doesn’t hold back in announcing his goals: this was the Maverick Viñales we saw at the presentation of the 2017 Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team in Madrid.

He observes Valentino Rossi closely, analyzes everything about Marc Márquez to the last detail...Viñales is driven. He knows that his aspirations to win the MotoGP title this season will happen if not by his own methods, then by imitating the ways of how the others have done it. This and much more is exposed in the following interview from the current celebrated prodigy of MotoGP. If you read his replies in this interview carefully, you'll get a good idea of the character of the Catalan rider:

Valentino Rossi says that you are going to fight for the title this year. Do you consider this motivation, extra pressure, or an honor that someone like Rossi speaks of you this way?
Obviously hearing this gives me extra motivation. To really see that your rivals consider you a candidate without having raced on the Yamaha yet means that they think you have a lot of potential. So I'm happy and eager to start the season.

Rossi stressed that you are one of the favorites, so did Marc Márquez. How was your first experience on the Yamaha? What have you discovered? Do you think you can still develop along with the bike?
Realistically there is still a lot that can be improved. Both me with my riding and also certain parts of the bike, like the braking. This aspect can still be improved a little in order to be able to fight to the last lap. Especially if I have to fight with Marc or Valentino, who are great on the brakes. In this area we have to be strong. This preseason we have to focus a lot on working for the last ten laps of the race, which is where I think the difference can be made. In Valencia I could see that the bike is fast and in Malaysia we also made good times. But you have to learn to keep the tire at a good level throughout the race, and for that it is important to find the appropriate pace.

What are the major differences you noticed between the Yamaha and the Suzuki?
They are quite different bikes. The Suzuki allowed me to turn in well and reach the apex with a lot of speed, while the Yamaha is a bike that you have to ride more calmly, more smoothly. But as I said, in the preseason I would like to focus on the race. This is the area that I want to work on the most. If we will be fighting during the last laps, the bike has to be aggressive, and being able to brake late is very important. Anyway, the Yamaha has an incredible traction; I felt very comfortable in Valencia.

Regarding the differences you observed between the two bikes, which one do you think is more suited to your style?
[With the Yamaha], I had to change a little, to not be so aggressive; the Suzuki allowed me to be a little more aggressive. With the Yamaha you have to be much more precise and very smooth, although in Malaysia I tried to ride it my way and I felt comfortable; I even went faster. So I am happy because I have adapted very well to the bike and the team, so I am really happy. I haven't come to Yamaha with anything from riding the Suzuki that holds me back, the riding is very similar. You just have to understand what the bike needs to go fast. I think that my riding has always been characterized by a good acceleration; With the Yamaha we are at a great level and I think I just have to squeeze a little more out of my riding.

Five years ago, when you were in Moto3, you flew home before the Malaysia GP due to differences with the team. Today you are here, on the most successful team in MotoGP in recent years, and as a candidate for the title. How does one incorporate such rapid growth? Obviously with the experience I have now, my reaction [in that situation five years ago] would have been very different, but what happened after that and my career since then has given me some reason to think. I've always been a person who's been guided by instinct. Yes, the way I did it back then was probably not the right way, but what I was looking for was a winning bike. Today, I see myself here with the desire to start the season on one of the best MotoGP teams. This gives me the feeling that I'm at a high level and that I can make my dream come true and, above all, I thank Yamaha and Movistar for trusting me. At the moment, I had a small sample in Valencia and I hope that my level will be like this all year.

Some people have already christened you as the "Anti-Marquez"…
Marc is one of the strongest riders in MotoGP, but don't forget that we are two riders that have the same goal: to win the title. It will be exciting. But beating Marc will not be easy; he obviously has a lot of talent. Also Honda is at a high level, and [the team and Yamaha] have to do a great job too. If I want to beat him, I'll have to give 100%. But these are just words—what really counts are the facts and to demonstrate that we can be competitive.

What do you expect from Rossi? What do you think the relationship will be like with him?
We've always gotten on well; we've not had any conflict. We'll see what happens on the track, where only one can win...and I want to win. Fighting for position, the last lap, this will always be the same, but I hope we have respect and we can carry a good relationship from here until our paths separate.

You're talking a lot about the last lap. Do you think the races will go this way this year?
It's important, because when you get home and study the test times, you see what each rider was focusing on. I saw, for example, that Marc did many laps and did race simulations. I saw that his pace was very fast. I confess that surprised me and I don't want him to take me by surprise. It's not so important to make a fast lap, but to keep the pace throughout the race. I think the work base of this preseason has to be finding that pace, so that the tires last as long as possible. I mean, try to make a bike as complete as possible. At the end, the fastest lap is on new rubber, carrying little fuel and the throttle at maximum, but the hard part is maintaining pace. You have to work at this.

Every year new promising motorcycles come to MotoGP, but in the end the fight always ends up being between Yamaha and Honda. Do you think it's going to happen again?
I think that every year the brands evolve more. Suzuki has made a great evolution, Ducati has shown that it may be fighting in several races for the title or for the victory. I hope, in my favor, that the title stays with Yamaha. Anyway, I don't dismiss anyone. For example, at Silverstone I found the Suzuki was good; We found a great set-up with the bike and I made a good start, I gave the maximum and in the end we won the race. We have to count all of them as rivals. I think that every year factories are more evenly matched. You also have to take into account Jorge (Lorenzo), (Andrea) Iannone...

As you know, this year there has been a lot of talk about tires. Are you aware that Michelin has been working and will be more regular throughout the season?
The first rubber we had last year in Qatar was perfect for me. It was a great compound and the tires were performing to a high standard. Then Argentina happened and Michelin began to bring harder compounds and then everything got complicated. Anyway, I think Michelin is at a good level right now. At many tracks they've beaten records, and they have had the fastest lap. They've done a good job. I know it's happened to the best, that suddenly it's your turn for a bad tire...they varied a lot. But with Bridgestone it also happened and I'm sure this will improve.

Before the winter break, you tried the M1 2016 in Valencia and the 2017 in Sepang. Did you notice differences between one and the other?
The bikes...one was better in one aspect and the other better in another. So Yamaha has to put the two together and make the perfect bike. But yes, I felt very comfortable with the 2017. I feel comfortable riding and that's very important.

You set the bar high.
I'm very happy because when I finished the Valencia test I saw that I was fast and had a good pace. We did a great job and in Malaysia times were very fast and I think I can give my 110% and I hope and I want to give it my all. I feel very comfortable and happy to be on this team.

Any stories about Valentino?
Stories? No, we haven't been together that much. But I watch him a lot, what he does and how he does it. He works very calmly and I think that is one of his great secrets. He doesn't test a lot of things, but the things he does test, he does very well. He makes sure it's the right choice and he knows what he should rule out...I observe him a lot.