Five reasons Yamaha should grab Maverick Viñales
With Lorenzo flying the coop, we've found the ideal replacement1. His nationality
The memory of Fiat and its title-sponsorship dollars following Valentino Rossi out of the Yamaha garage doors when he made his move to Ducati would be fresh in the Japanese manufacturer’s mind. There’s no doubt Jorge Lorenzo’s presence in the team helped to get the Movistar deal over the line, having a Spanish world champion emblazoned with Spain’s digital TV channel is about as good as it gets in a country fanatical about bike racing. A certain Maverick Viñales could go a long way in both appeasing Movistar and ensuring it remains keen to continue to throw money at the world championship winning team.
2. His age
Viñales is the youngest bloke in the premier class. Actually, that’s a lie. Aussie Jack Miller was born six days after Viñales, but 21 years of age, he and Miller are the youngest by far. Even MotoGP rookie Tito Rabat is six years his senior and, considering how quickly Viñales has adapted to a MotoGP machine and with how much success, he’s certainly the hottest property in the paddock with so many of his best years still ahead of him. And we all know Yamaha isn't averse to long and successful rider partnerships.
3. His teammate
Who better to shape and nurture the raw and youthful talent of Viñales than the old master himself, Rossi? In fact, it’s exactly what’s happening at his VR46 Riders Academy and Viñales is someone Rossi identified as the next big thing some time ago. With Rossi’s exit plan well and truly shaping up to happen come 2019, the Doctor will feel very little threat from the young Spaniard and Yamaha won’t mind not having to pretend Rossi isn’t the team’s number-one rider.
4. His price
While Viñales will be extremely aware of his worth as a rider, the truth is what Yamaha has or might offer Viñales to ride the Movistar Yamaha for the next two seasons is a mere fraction of what it would have offered Lorenzo to stay.
5. His talent
But all of these things aside, there’s one reason why Viñales should be at the top of Yamaha’s wish list and that’s his talent. The Spanish rider has it in bucket loads. His first grand prix was the at opening round of the 2011 125cc World Championship at Qatar and, in the five-and-a-bit seasons since, he has graced the podium on 40 occasions with 16 wins, 16 second-place finishes and eight thirds. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2011 (125cc), 2014 (Moto2) and 2015 (MotoGP) and he won the 2013 Moto3 World Championship. He claimed that title with just three race wins but proved his consistency and level racing head by finishing on the podium at every single race except two. In his first year of MotoGP, on an unknown and under developed bike, he qualified second on the grid at the Spanish GP at Catalunya and had two sixth-place finishes in both Barcelona and Australia.
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