Nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi was happy for Movistar Yamaha team-mate Maverick Vinales after his win MotoGP win at Phillip Island but tempered it with a warning that it doesn’t mean the M1 is now all-conquering.

Rossi was in the podium fight early on while Vinales slipped down the order but the two swapped places later on and, with the demise of Marc Marquez’ challenge, the Spaniard went on to win.

“I think this is a good result for Maverick, and also for the whole team and for Yamaha, because it was so long that we did not win. But we have to keep working for next year,” said Rossi, speaking at the track.

“It’s certainly a big injection of confidence, but I do not think it changes much. Already from the first lap I didn’t have a lot of grip, especially on the left side.

“Immediately I felt I was sliding a lot, as if I’d lost a bit of grip. Until half-distance I was quite fast and I was second, but then I had to slow down. Now we must try to understand why.

“A quite negative result, because I lost points in the championship to Dovizioso and also Maverick, who has recovered a lot of points. So I think that more than for second, the battle will be for the third.

“In general the two bikes are not very different. We have some differences because our styles are a bit different, but the problem is that in acceleration we spin a bit too much.

“Maverick is able to have more drive, even if he spins he accelerates. Especially this weekend he always rides very well and he’s able to have less problems.”