Maverick Vinales is now the hottest ticket in MotoGP and Ecstar Suzuki boss Davide Brivio is doing everything he can to keep the Spanish wunderkind from the clutches of Movistar Yamaha or Repsol Honda.

There is a clause in Vinales’ contract which might keep him at Suzuki but Brivio stresses this is not something he wants to exercise - he would rather the youngster stay because he wants to instead of being forced to.

“Lorenzo joining Ducati and try and win the world title is very special, it is the true challenge, so I wish him good luck. Of course for us, it would have been better if he stayed in Yamaha. I’m joking, but Lorenzo’s move will create a domino effect on the market. Our priority is to reconfirm Maverick Vinales,” Brivio told Bikesport News.

“We have an option in our favour in the contract but we are doing a negotiation to offer him a solution that is also satisfying for him. We don’t want to keep him just because of a clause in the contract, we want that he stays because he believes in our project.

“Our dream is to continue with him and together trying to do something special. At the moment we haven’t a plan B. of course we have some ideas of possible candidates, but first of all we want to understand what Maverick will do and then to do a strategy. I think once the situation with the top riders will be clear, then the negotiations will slow down a bit because it is really very early in the season.”

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