“Introvert, shy” Maverick Vinales praised for finding “last piece of the jigsaw”
“I genuinely thought that the last piece of the jigsaw was not there"
Maverick Vinales has been praised for finding the confidence and bravery required to win a grand prix.
Vinales won for the first time in three years last weekend at the Circuit of the Americas to become the first MotoGP rider to experience victory for three manufacturers.
But after letting similar opportunities pass, causing some in the paddock to lose faith, he has been hailed for rediscovering the winning formula.
Neil Hodgson told TNT Sports: “He’s been in positions where he should have won. He’s had strong weekends.
“Maverick has always been on good bikes. A factory Yamaha rider, factory Suzuki…
“He has had opportunities and he has under-delivered.
“We’ve been negative about him, and I hate being negative about a rider.
“But so many times we’ve said ‘he has not quite delivered…’
“I genuinely thought that the last piece of the jigsaw was not there.
“It looks like, the way he’s riding now and the balance on his motorcycle, we’re going to see it more often.
“Would you bet against him in Jerez? I still need to see more from Maverick.
“I’m 50-50. But you wouldn’t bet against him in Jerez.”
The past few years have not lived up to Vinales’ Yamaha heyday, where he ended two seasons third in the standings.
Three grand prix podiums last season could only yield an seventh place overall finish.
“He has beaten himself up,” Hodgson said.
“Not physically. Much worse, mentally.
“I know him well enough. You see him walk around the paddock in a dark period, when results aren’t there, and he’s under-performed.
“He is an introvert, he’s shy, he doesn’t give anyone eye contact.
“Because he’s so talented, it’s worse! The hardest bit is having the ability.
“Some people don’t have the ability - they are brave, good motorcycle racers…
“But he’s got it all. And now he’s using it to his best.”
Vinales added his COTA victory with Aprilia to previous wins with Suzuki and Yamaha, as a result succeeding with three manufacturers where Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo failed.
But his COTA win - where he lost pole position, fell to 11th, then clambered back to the front - was no fluke.
His Aprilia has been labelled the fastest bike at all three rounds by Massimo Rivola, raising expectation for what Vinales might be able to do at Jerez, the fourth round next week.
He has also won back-to-back sprint races at Portimao and Texas.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
