Maverick Vinales expressed his satisfaction at the end of the first day riding his new KTM Tech 3.
A very positive first day with KTM for Maverick Vinales, who was enthusiastic after the MotoGP post-season tests. The Spanish rider was impressed by the ease of the bike, which suits his riding style, as well as the calm work environment and the optimism that can be felt within the garage.
Here are the detailed words of Vinales, particularly satisfied at the end of the tests: “The first day went well, I just wanted to understand the bike. I didn’t have any specific expectations about the feeling, but honestly, the feedback was very positive from the first laps. I wanted to try to end the day with a good time attack, but I didn’t want to take risks given the low temperatures.”
Twelfth place, one second behind the first position, doesn’t reflect the mindset of the former Aprilia rider. These are his comments on the strengths of his KTM: “I would say my riding style suits the KTM well, although of course, I’ll need more time on track to understand how much I can push. In the first outings, I used the same setup as Acosta and I immediately felt comfortable. Any flaws or details to fix? To be honest, I didn’t find any particular issues, but I still need to reach the limit: only then will I be able to understand if and where to make adjustments.”
Of course, there are many changes to make, but the impact has been more than positive for the Spaniard, who then added: “What did I like about the KTM? The exit from the corners, the ability to lift the bike early and accelerate just as quickly, a feature that’s ideal for my riding style. Also, in braking, it seemed very stable but at the same time light and not too physical, allowing me to change direction easily.”
And finally: “Did I notice any differences compared to a factory team? No, this is a small family, a calm environment with a great atmosphere. The communication with the team has also been excellent.”
Photo: X KTM