Maverick Vinales made his debut as a satellite rider for the first time in his MotoGP career as he tested with Red Bull KTM Tech3.
This week at the Barcelona Test, Maverick Vinales made his move from Aprilia to Red Bull KTM Tech3. For the first time in his MotoGP career, the Spaniard will ride for a satellite MotoGP team.
However, Vinales seemingly enjoyed his one day with Tech3 and believes the atmosphere is what he needs.
“Good feeling, good atmosphere. I think, and believe, we can create a really strong group,” Vinales stated. “This is a family. It's what I feel with the mechanics between them. And probably it’s the feeling I need.”
After completing 74 laps with Tech3's KTM RC16 it seems that Vinales' first impressions of his new bike were positive.
“I started the day with no expectations," Vinales explained. "I am trying to be very open-minded. But straight away, even on the out lap, the feeling was positive. Everything comes very naturally.
“Obviously, there are still many things I need to understand and integrate in my riding style. But the feeling was good. We didn't test too much. I just asked to have Pedro’s set up and try to ride and understand the bike.”
Vinales ended his first test as a KTM rider in 12th on the timesheets and was the third fastest KTM rider. The 29-year-old was only 0.3 seconds behind the fastest KTM rider, Brad Binder, who ended the day in sixth.
The Spaniard also admitted that he had not found the limit of his new RC16, but was going quicker and quicker every time he exited pit lane.
“I don't see any problem for the moment, but for sure I didn't arrive at the limit of the bike,” Vinales said. “So I prefer to stay quiet for now and try to first of all arrive at the limit and then start to really understand what is missing.
“But I didn't see any ‘wall’. Every time I went out, I went faster and faster.”
