Ecstar Suzuki MotoGP star Aleix Espargaro has gone out on a limb and predicted that current team-mate Maverick Vinales will be more than a match for Valentino Rossi next season.

The Spaniard, who moves to Aprilia with Sam Lowes next year, thinks Vinales will have the measure of The Doctor when he becomes a factory Yamaha rider.

“Maverick is very talented and also very young. Except Marc, the rest of the riders who are in front are older, and that makes them think twice about certain things, when Maverick doesn’t hesitate for a thousandth of a second,” said Espargaro at Misano, before his altercation with Rossi.

“That mentality is what has made Marc successful, and what can make Maverick win. I can see Maverick fighting for the title. He will have to learn a lot of things, like having a bike to lead races and win. All that he’s done this year is great, but when he has a bike to win next year it won’t be that easy. I think next year he will finish ahead of Rossi.”