Strong last lap puts Vinales third in Le Mans, ‘we have a really good rhythm’
Maverick Vinales made it two Monster Energy Yamaha riders inside the top three during a surprisingly dry MotoGP FP2 session today in Le Mans.
FP1 started out as we all anticipated - wet, low grip, and tricky all around which Vinales found out first hand as he crashed late on in the session while exiting the pits.
When asked about the crash, Vinales added: "Well, actually I just switched from the soft wet tyre to the medium wet tyre and I was too optimistic, I just pushed too much in Turn 3.
"I just went to put the knee down and I just crashed straight away. I think it was a cold tyre, so totally my mistake and I needed to wait a little bit more.
"But after the crash, I made nothing, four or five corners and I felt really good. So this is positive because we understand that depending on the race, for example, if it's wet or dry which tyre we need to use."
During the afternoon as conditions drastically improved, Yamaha once again showed their supreme pace which nearly saw them clinch four wins from four in Jerez.
Vinales put in a late lap to finish one spot behind team-mate Fabio Quartararo and feels like ‘we have a good rhythm’.
"We have a really good rhythm. Honestly, to make a 1'32.1 is a fast rhythm and I could go to 1'31, but I didn't have a good lap. I was just missing one corner or missing another corner. I was trying to understand where the limit was, especially for the race," added Vinales.
"I use the holeshot device in a few corners, but not in Turn 1 because you don't brake. You just change down 2 gears, and you go in. So I'm scared to use it."
But even though Vinales didn’t elect to use the holeshot device in turn one today, he will use it at the start of the race.
Vinales said: "For sure on the start I will use it. I will try during the weekend, I will start by going fast and slow, and then I will try.
"But I don't think it will be a problem because at the end, it didn't change too much.
"Maybe somehow the bike turns a little bit less in Turn 1, but then when you brake in Turn 2, it will be OK."
