Heart rate: 'Vinales has bigger stroke, less rpm!' - Miller

Ever since MotoGP's TV graphics began broadcasting some live heart-rate data in 2019, Maverick Vinales has been significantly lower than the other riders.

The Spaniard's resting heart rate is said to be around 40 bpm, but the most surprising thing is that even when under the physical and mental stress of riding his M1 at full speed, Vinales usually only measures 110-125 bpm.

The contrast to most others was again illustrated at the recent Styrian MotoGP when the live heart rates of Vinales and good friend Jack Miller were shown side-by-side:

"I don’t know what Vinales is, a snake or something, or his heart is not working!" Miller joked afterwards. "I just saw they did a comparison and I am sitting at 160 and Vinales on 120-something.

"I’m sure mine wasn’t even at the highest point when I was doing those laps."

The Australian added: "I've never been in the 200s, I think the most I had in a test – and this was 3 years ago – was 199. If I’m training on the bicycle it’s 175-180. I think the best I have had on the bicycle has been 188."

In terms of MotoGP, when is Miller's heartbeat at its highest?

"I think the start of the race, the lights, would be the highest point for me," Miller replied. "And if you're in a fight especially in the first couple of laps it'll be through the roof. Then you can sort of stabilise it around 160.

"I know with the motocross bike it stays around 172. That's my normal average for a 25-minute training moto.

"Like I say, it's not like I'm blowing out of my arse or anything like that, it's just that Vinales is a bit of a 'snake'! His just doesn't work in the same way as mine… He's got a bigger stroke, less rpm!"

MotoGP did not show Vinales' heart rate when his brakes failed during the race, but he looked incredibly calm at being forced to jump off at 230km/h: