Vinales: This is the level we have to be at

Maverick Viñales has urged his Yamaha squad to maintain the timesheet-topping level shown at Assen on Friday, stating “this is the level we have to be at each weekend” after a strong opening to the Dutch installment of the 2018 MotoGP series.

The Catalan, who has struggled to replicate the form shown at the beginning of 2017 with the latest spec M1, was much like the Viñales of old, ending FP1 in second, before topping the Friday afternoon session with Iannone second.

The 23-year old believes changes at the one-day post-race test at the Circuit of Catalunya were key.

“It is really important [to start this way],” began Viñales. “It also gives a lot of confidence to the team, to make the decision to try new setups, to find a way. We started good, just adjusted some clicks, get used to the bike and a full tank, and you can ride good. So I think this is the level we have to be each weekend at every track, and we need to keep working like that.

“I feel good on the bike, I think for sure after Montmeló we did an improvement, give me a little bit more confidence in the bike which is good. We are working hard and we are trying everything. So let's see if finally we can solve it.”

One notable change on Viñales’ machine for this weekend was a new set of Ohlins carbon forks, which he believes makes the high-speed changing of direction a good deal easier.

“I never tried those forks,” he said. “I only tried them last year in Brno and it was totally different. So we never had the plan to try it. But it looks like it's working much better than the old ones.

“Anyway, I think as I said, we are working on the small details that at the moment are the most important, like the start, and the first few laps on the race, and I think it's quite good. After the Montmelo test the bike improved a little bit, especially for my style on the first laps, and we keep this work like that.

“Overall, the feeling is a little bit better, in all the areas, just a little bit. But if it's better, I will use it, like in the afternoon. Finally, in Montmelo, we tried a few laps in the test, because we had a problem, and already I felt better, so I wanted to try it here and see what was the benefit.

“For sure changing directions is a little bit easier, but anyway, still there is a lot of work to do, we improved the bike a little bit about my feelings, and I think there is still room to get used to the bike and make the bike a little bit more for my style.

“And I think it's very important to get good confidence. For sure I'm doing the same as in Montmelo and other tracks, I'm pushing the same, but I can ride the bike a little bit better than at other tracks.”

And what of the practice to enhance his feeling with a full fuel tank at the beginning of the race? “Well, yes, for sure, I tried to reproduce the race, start in the first places in the practices and push from the beginning to see what the bike does, and then push even more aggressively than in the race.

“So I tried, I tried my best to get used to it, and don't make more mistakes on the beginning of the race, for sure the start will be very important, and I think we can do it. So like I said, working on the small details, that are finally going to give us a lot.”