Vinales not giving up hope of ending Yamaha win drought

Maverick Vinales hasn’t given up on ending Yamaha’s long run without a MotoGP victory before the season is over.

His team-mate, Valentino Rossi, won Yamaha’s last premier class race at Assen in June 2017 and the factory has now matched its longest ever 22-race losing streak from 1997-1998.

Both riders have lamented problems with the electronics, with Vinales the top Yamaha in fifth last time at Misano.

Although he felt capable of a better result after qualifying on the front row, the Spaniard said he was ‘really happy’ nonetheless - but hopes to maintain his speed for the full weekend at Aragon.

“Actually I was really happy after Misano because the race didn’t show our potential and I think we were able to make it much better. But anyway, since Friday FP1 I was there and I think I have this feeling for here,” he said.

“I feel really good with the bike, honestly the feeling with the set-up and I feel good all the time I go on the bike.

"For me, that is the most important right now because on the bike we had some troubles, which everyone knows already, but we are working really hard and I hope this weekend we can show the potential on Sunday.

"At Misano, I was there until the race, so that is what I will try to do.”

Vinales said he still hoped to salvage a win before the year was out, rather than switch his focus until 2019.

“The most important is to try to make a victory this year, to try to focus onto the next one because it will arrive,” he said.

“We have to focus now, here, on Friday; try to solve the problems we had in Misano, especially in the race, so I will try to be the best I can on the bike and fingers crossed we can be there to try to win the race.”