A successful MotoGP rider, or any other for that matter, has to have behind him a winning team and mutual trust is a milestone for success. It was love at first sight between Maverick Vinales and his crew chief Ramon Forcada - the Spaniard declared a blind trust in his compatriot and Forcada was a believer from the first exit at Valencia last year.

The 22-year-old is currently third in the championship and a serious title contender. He lies 24 points, a race win, behind Marc Marquez and if he wants to keep the battle for the title open. He has only one option: winning. And Forcads believes he is a winner, a ‘racing animal’.

We sat down with Forcada, the man who knows him better than anyone else at the track, to find out how they fit together so well…

How does it feel to know that your rider has total trust in you?
“I have 29 years of experience as chief mechanic and this counts but what is even more important is the mutual trust. If the team has some doubts about the rider giving his 100 per cent, or the other way round and the rider doesn’t feel the full support from his squad, it cannot work.”

What was the first thing that impressed you about Maverick Vinales?
“When he joined Yamaha, he asked not to change anything and that he would adapt to the bike.   He said clearly that he knew that the M1 was working well and that we knew the bike, so he was the one wto get to know and adapt to it. He did it from the very beginning because in Valencia test last November he was immediately fast. This approach, together with his dedication and determination, impressed me more.”

Where does his determination come from?
“Maverick has the mind set on the winning mode: he is completely focused on doing everything to achieve his target: winning the world title. He is fully committed in training, he follows a specific diet, he thinks at the bikes 24 hours a day.”

You worked for nine years with Lorenzo. Does Maverick remind you of Jorge Lorenzo?
“The determination is the same, than they differ on how to reach the target, the training, and so on. They are quiet different even if from the outside their riding styles seem similar. The feeling they have is different.”

Did you have to change something in your working method?
“No. We change the setting every circuit, but this is normal. We are using quite a standard bike as Maverick doesn’t ask for great changes. Usually if in the previous race he did well, we start from that base, doing only small adjustments.”

How do Vinales’ and Rossi’s working methods differ?
“Valentino focuses on preparing for the race, while Maverick tackles every single practice as if it was the race. He wants the fastest time and even if he finishes second in the first practice on Friday, he is angry.  This is something related to the experience. Valentino used to be the same, now he controls more and also saves his energy for the race. He knows that what counts is the race.”

Does Maverick look at Valentino’s data?
“Usually Maverick doesn’t look at Valentino’s data. But in Brno, it was helpful to look at Rossi’s data because they were using two different chassis, so it was important to understand how the other chassis was working. Otherwise Maverick is fully focused on his side of the garage.”
 
What the young gun can learn from the old fox?
“Valentino is a master when things get complicated.  Out of the whole grid, he is the one who  manages difficult situations the best. What Maverick needs to learn is that what counts is the race.”

In the winter test, he was the fastest and the favourite. He won the first two races, clinched three victories in the first five races. What happened then? How do you explain his up and down season? Is he feeling the pressure?
“He is not under pressure. In winter we tested in Malaysia and Australia and he did incredibly well. Then new circuits arrived and the tyres changed, so what you thought was under control wasn’t. Sometimes we arrive at the race with a very competitive bike, some weekends the bike is not perfect. There are things and situations that you cannot control.

“Once on the grid, it’s important that the rider gives the maximum with that package. There is no time to complain and Valentino is a Sunday guy: when the race kicks off, he gives the maximum riding over the problems.”

How do crashes affect the riders’ mentality?
“Crashes are always negative. The most frustrating thing is when you crash on circuits where you think you could do well, because you lose 25 points. Also this is related to gaining experience and understanding that you need to remain calm because the race is long. Think at Assen, Maverick was behind, but he recovered from 11th position. He crashed when he was catching the top three with 15 laps to go. He was pushing too much. When you have 15 laps, you need to stay calm. With his pace, he was able to catch to riders without doing anything. Even a fourth place would have been good.”

Maverick seemed to lose his way with the introduction of the new chassis...
In Japan the engineers never stop working. Every time we do a test, there are some new parts. We are already testing 2018 items. We tested the new chassis at Barcelona and used it at Assen, the same as Rossi.”

What about the indications for the development? Do Vinales and Rossi give the same advice?
“The direction is the same, they can differ in some details. Each rider has his preference, but they are riding a similar bike and the problems are also similar. This helps the engineers because at least they know what the riders need and the direction to follow.”

What is Maverick missing to regain the feeling he had at the beginning of the season?
“If you ask a rider, they all answer the same, no matter if it is Vinales, Rossi or Marquez: they want a bike that is strong in all the key points: braking, acceleration and turning.  It is the track that dictates the priority because when you do a test than you need to consider how much you gained where you wanted to improve and how much you lost where you didn’t want to lose.”

Did you like the carbon fibre forks?
We tested them in Brno, but he didn’t like them too much as the bike was moving too much.
Ohlins is doing this development and before a final feedback we need to test them on a different track.”

How would you define Maverick’s riding style?
“Aggressive within what the bike allows him, consistent and precise. Maverick is strong in the three key elements: he is able to brake well, have good corner speed and exit fast from the corners. These skills are fundamental, but besides this, it’s important to understand that each bike has been projected and built following a specific philosophy. The biggest mistake is to ask to the bike something she was not designed for.

“The rider needs to adapt to the bike: you cannot expect to ride a Yamaha like a Honda. There is no rider who can brake or accelerate as he would like. The secret is to use the potential of the bike at the maximum.”

And his character?
“He is a racing animal, a winner.”

What is his weak point?
“His lack of experience. He needs to learn to manage each situation at the best, but this is something you learn with the years, so we are not worried.”