Vinales: Upset to lose Rossi, important for Lorenzo to try things

Maverick Vinales concedes he will be upset to lose Valentino Rossi as a Yamaha team-mate if he retires at the end of 2020, while he’s eager to learn from Jorge Lorenzo’s insight as new test rider.

With a delayed start to the 2020 MotoGP season amid the coronavirus shutdown, Vinales has been keeping busy training at home while also taking part in the MotoGP Esports series showing off his virtual racing skills with a pair of podium finishes.

But with thoughts firmly still on the 2020 MotoGP season, Vinales is in regular contact with his Yamaha team about the latest developments on the reshuffled season and when racing can resume.

Vinales has also been reflecting on the major changes taking place within the Yamaha fold, fresh from signing a new two-year deal with the Iwata team, following the flurry of announcements in January that confirmed Fabio Quartararo will replace Rossi as his factory Yamaha team-mate from 2021 while Lorenzo has been signed as test rider.

Speaking on a Yamaha Instagram live video, Vinales concedes he’ll be sad to see Rossi leave the factory squad – with the Italian yet to decide on retiring at the end of 2020 or joining the satellite Petronas Yamaha SRT squad with a factory-specification M1 – but he is hopeful Quartararo’s promotion can also provide him with a boost.

“I feel good because I think Fabio can give us a lot of information,” Vinales said. “Especially as he is good on one lap and even though all Yamaha riders are good at some tracks we are not [fast over one lap] so it will be important and we welcome Fabio to our factory team.

“I am a little bit upset because we lose Valentino who is a very important rider to the team and he is also very fast every weekend so it is another motivation. But, anyway, I am even more motivated if Fabio is there.”

Vinales also says he supports a move to give new Yamaha test rider Lorenzo wildcard race outings when possible because he feels being able to test parts and setups during a MotoGP weekend will provide more relevant feedback and information for the entire team. Lorenzo had been set to make his first Yamaha wildcard outing at the Catalunya MotoGP before it was postponed amid the coronavirus crisis.

“For me it is important if Jorge can try things during a GP weekend because after Moto2 it is very difficult on the track, as the grip is less, so it is important if he can try the new items during that moment,” Vinales explained.

“But I am not in Yamaha’s mind or even in Jorge’s mind so I don’t know. Anyway, he can give good comments on the other bikes.”

While rumours continue to swirl around the reshaping of the 2020 MotoGP season, with many pointing to a potential start at either the Red Bull Ring or Brno in August including the option to race without spectators, Vinales anticipates a more familiar pecking order in terms of the rivals he will fight at the front of the pack.

“For me it is going to be like the second part of the season [of 2019] with Marc [Marquez] in the front fighting with Fabio, and also [Andrea] Dovizioso as good tracks will come for him like Brno and Austria at the beginning,” he said. “But then we don’t know so we have to be ready.

“It will be more riders, because the Suzukis are working well and Miller is going very fast, especially on race pace, but we will see. It doesn’t matter who the names are because we have to be at the front fighting.”